The ephedrine (or pseudoephedrine) synthesis is a one step using phosphorus/iodine reduction directly to methamphetamine. It’s simple and clean in that only an acid base extraction is required, and only one set of NP solvents.

All these others syntheses with multiple steps up the chances of weird toxic solvents or contaminants creeping in. I think it’s a contaminant issue that’s exacerbated by the drug use.

The government should just regulate it, control purity and production and let people access small amounts for recreation/performance. It’s not an evil drug per se - long history before it was criminalized. Plus that would neuter the cartels and protect people’s health more than pushing it underground.

Tried clicking the fivethirtyeight link halfway down the article, and was immediately reminded of what abc decided to start doing today. What an asshole move.

The insane thing for me is seeing how tightly meth purity correlated with the airing of Breaking Bad.

Fantastic write up.

I think the biggest takeaway for me is just how insanely ineffective banning pseudoephedrine over the counter was.

Price went down, usage went up overdose went up, seizures went up, the production just changed quickly and there wasn’t even a blip.

Billions of uses of bullshit decongestant products that didn’t work at all… and to get the good stuff you still need to buy it from behind the counter and give ID.

>He points out that “old” meth was made from ephedrine and that “new” meth is made from a chemical called Phenylacetone or P2P

the new is just the old that came back. The old meth, "biker meth", was P2P. Then was ephedrine, and with a crackdown on ephedrine - back to P2P.

Another interesting thing - the recent shortage of ADHD medication while supposedly illegal meth production has been growing. Demand is present in both cases while capitalism model of responding with supply works well only in one.

[dead]

Thanks China.