A SHORT HISTORY OF METH

Methamphetamine was developed by a Japanese scientist in 1919. Meth, known
as crank or crystal, is part of a family of drugs that includes
amphetamines such as Benzedrine and dextroamphetamines such as Dexadrine.

Amphetamines came into common use after Los Angeles research chemist Gordon
Alles discovered in 1927 that it could treat respiratory illnesses,
replacing other drugs then in short supply.

In 1965, possession of nonprescription amphetamines became illegal and the
number of clandestine labs began to grow.

At that time, two methods were used to make "bathtub" crank. One is known
as the Nazi method because it was employed by the Germans to make meth
during World War II. It uses lithium and anhydrous ammonia as key
ingredients. Also called the anhydrous ammonia method, it still is used in
home labs.

The second method, called "prope dope" or P2P method, uses phenyl-2-propane
as a key ingredient. This method has fallen out of favor because it is more
precise and time-consuming than other techniques and the federal government
began regulating the key ingredient in 1980.

Since then meth cooks have found new recipes using ephedrine and
pseudoephedrine as key ingredients. These recipes proved to be easier and
made a more potent form, known as d-meth.

Most of the ingredients are readily available from hardware stores and
pharmacies. Ingredients, such as antifreeze, drain cleaner or lighter
fluid, can be acquired without arousing suspicion, but not all of them.
Even a small batch, producing perhaps an ounce of meth, requires 25 or 30
boxes of cold tablets, and drug stores are on the alert for those purchases.