November 3, 2001

An animal rights group has condemned an experiment in which mice were given drugs and forced to listen to rave music.

The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection condemns it as utterly disgusting.

Many mice suffered seizures after being injected with methamphetamine, or speed, and subjected to music by The Prodigy.

Wendy Higgins, BUAV campaigns director, said: "These sick experiments are absolutely despicable and will shock the public.

"Just because people choose to take drugs and go to raves doesn't justify subjecting animals to suffering and death in the laboratory in procedures that will tell us nothing we don't already know - taking drugs and listening to excessively loud music isn't good for you."

A Cambridge University spokesperson said: "Our study was part of a wider investigation into the long-term toxic effects of amphetamines.

"Specifically, we were looking at the effect of amphetamine on the striatum, a part of the brain that degenerates in Huntingdon's disease.

"Amphetamines are taken recreationally in clubs, but are also taken by people like truck drivers who expose themselves to loud noise. It is very important that we know how environmental stimuli can enhance the toxicity of a drug." Source: Ananova