.BackgroundMethamphetamine is a stimulant drug also coined meth, ice, crystal meth, glass, and speed, to name a few. Its chemical formula is C10H15N. It is regarded as highly potent and addictive as it affects the central nervous system.
Physically, the substance is white, gives off no odor, and is found as a bitter powder that is easily soluble in water or alcohol. It is classified as a Schedule II stimulant by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. Schedule II drugs all have a high potential for abuse, have been accepted as medical treatment in the United States, and abuse of this drug could lead to severe psychological problems or physical dependence of the drug. Health Effects of Methamphetamine
Problems associated with methamphetamine include an increased heart rate (increased activity) and increased blood pressure which could lead to heart problems such as stroke. Meth can produce psychological complications which are not limited to: violent behavior, paranoia, anxiety, confusion, insomnia, and psychotic symptoms. When a person ingests meth into their bloodstream, physical activity is increased and appetite is suppressed. This gives the substance a limited usage when treating attention deficit disorder (ADD), narcolepsy, a sleeping disorder, and obesity. The usage of this drug to treat these conditions is argued as prolonged use of meth may produce extremely powerful side effects including paranoia and aggression, kidney and lung disorders, brain and liver damage, and chronic depression. |
.Quick Facts- Meth produces a euphoric sensation that can last up to 24 hours
- Can be sold as a powder or in crystal like chunks - Meth is illegal -A study by the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse showed that an estimated 9.6 millions US residents over 12 used methamphetamine in their lifetime -Almost 7% of high school seniors in the U.S. have used the drug at least once in their lifetime -Even some more street terms for methamphetamine include beannies, rock, fast, chicken feed, chalk, and mexican crack |
.Discovery of MoleculeIn 1893 the Japanese chemist Nagai Nagayoshi syntehesized methamphetamine out of ephedrine, a stimulant. Shrubs known as ephedra, found in parts all over the world such as China, Pakistan, India, and the Americas could be processed and ephedrine could be extracted from the plant. The name methamphetamine was derived from the chemical structure of the new compound, methyl alpha-menthyl phenyl ethyl amine. It was synthesized in crystal form by Akira Ogata in 1919 by reducing ephedrine using red phosphorus and iodine.
Methamphetamine was prominent in World War II as a recreational drug, an antidepressant, and as a diet pill because of the drug's properties. The drug was heavily distributed by Nazi leaders to aid soldiers in World War II. It was also sold to the German public in 1938 in the form of tablets called Pervitin. The adverse health effects were not fully understood, but the Nazi regime recognized the drug's effects in creating a strong military. |
.Chemical Process of SynthesisProduction of methamphetamine is prominent in the drug world of today's society because of the relative ease to produce it compared to other drugs, street and pharmaceutical. Whenever production is monitored in one country, production can simply be moved to another country. Production of methamphetamine has become serious social problems in various countries of the world, such as Mexico, the United States, and North Korea.
Almost 6 pounds of toxic material is produced for each pound of meth cooked in crystal meth synthesis. Meth production severely contaminates the building it is produced in and often renders them uninhabitable. The process includes risk with flammable and corrosive chemicals. One method used to synthesize meth, mainly illicitly practiced, involves using a red phosphorus reduction. The steps are summarized below: 1. Ephedrine or pseudoephedrine is separated from cold medicine tablets that contain it. The inert ephedrine is separated by using a solvent to filter it out. 2. Pure pseudoephedrine is mixed with red phosphorus and hydriodic acid, red phosphorus is filtered out and the hydriodic acid is neutralized using lye. 3. The meth is bound using a binder substance. 5. Hydrogen chloride gas is bubbled through the liquid meth, making it a crystalline hydrochloride salt. 6. The crystals are poured through a filter cloth. In settings of meth labs, the drug is "stepped down" by mixing filler into the meth to maximize profits. |
There are three primary methods to cook meth. One is described as the P-2-P method, a psuedoephedrine/ephedrine reaction with red phosphorous, illustrated to the left. This synthesis is to the bottom.
Another involves synthesis from phenyl-2-propanone and methylamine in the presence of aluminum amalgam, illustrated above. Both of these reactions produce methamphetamine.
Disclaimer: The procedures described are not entirely complete and should be regarded for educational purposed only, without the intent of actually producing methamphetamine. Illegal production of street meth using meth labs is prominently discovered by explosions that are a direct result of the toxic waste created by these reactions. |
.Problems With Extracting Methamphetamine
Aside from all the health problems related with creating meth listed above, there are other dangers when working in makeshift meth labs. Because of the nature of the toxins created by the creation of methamphetamine, many choose to undergo the reactions in desloate areas in mobile or abandoned homes. Many times there are cases of meth lab fires:
Methamphetamine labs may give off
- phosphine gas (toxic, contact with fumes may give frostbitie)
-methylamine gas
-acetone or chloroform
-sodium gases
-iodine vapors
-anhydrous ammonia
-hydrogen chloride
...depending on the process the meth is made from. All of the above gases are harmful to human health.
Disposal of the byproducts of cooking methamphetamine is also very dangerous. In the environment of unsafe meth cooking labs across the world, many fail to clean up hazardous materials. Physical objects and absorb the contaminants of the production of methamphetamine and can continue to release hazardous fumes even after the meth has left the lab.
.Methamphetamine in Popular CultureMeth is the central topic in the Emmy-Award Winning hit television show "Breaking Bad" on the American Movie Channel.
This controversial drug crime thriller/serial drama television show follows Walter White who is a chemistry teacher turned-meth-chef. He is diagnosed with lung cancer and turns to producing and selling methamphetamine on the streets with his former student Jesse Pinkman in order to give his family a better financial future. Later in the series Walter White turns out not to be just a decent high school chemistry teacher - he is a world reknown drug producer. Controversy over the show relates to how similar the meth labs in the series are to real-life superlabs in Mexico. Some say the television show is influencing real life methamphetamine trade because of its parallels to real world situations. The show is still running as of March 2013 and has received critical acclaim and numerous awards. |