Pubdate: Wed, 29 May 2002
Source: New Zealand Herald (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2002 New Zealand Herald
Contact:  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/300
Author: Dita De Boni
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

SPEED RECIPE GETS STUDENTS' MAGAZINE RECALLED

This week's issue of the Auckland University student magazine, Craccum, was 
pulled from circulation within hours of hitting stands because it contained 
a recipe for the drug "pure speed", known as "P".

The Auckland University Students Association recalled roughly 10,000 copies 
of the magazine on Monday in what it called a "response to student 
concerns" over the recipe, printed within an article by Nicholas Keesing.

Keesing writes of the history of amphetamines, the class of drugs to which 
speed and "P" belong, the patterns of use and abuse of the drug and its 
effect on the body, and offers readers a recipe to make it.

"Methamphetamine is very easy to make," he writes.

"Tattooed, mongrel idiots do it every day in their bedrooms, bathrooms, or 
any other place that the 'P' brain recommends.

"If you must, do it in a well-equipped laboratory for best results."

He lists items needed. Ingredients include emergency road flares (for the 
red phosphorus content), brake cleaner and iodine solution.

He explains the dangers of the drug, which can include addiction, "strange 
psychoses" and "out of character behaviour", but concludes that the 
Government should make and sell "P" because this would ensure "both the 
purity of the product and effective age restrictions could then be regulated".

"The Government would be able to produce methamphetamine for a fraction of 
the cost, removing much of the undesirable behaviour associated with its 
use," Keesing writes.

Craccum editor Colin Mitchell said the magazine had previously published 
articles on how to rob banks, how to crack secure websites, and how to make 
bombs, without attracting a complete recall.

"The recipe for 'P' was published to give credibility to the article and 
its negative tone, and to provide students with knowledge, which is a huge 
factor in this.

"Surely anyone reading the list of contents, and seeing that they include 
brake fluid and road flares, would not want to put this stuff in their bodies."

In a statement, students association president Ross Burns said that 
although it published Craccum, it did not see the magazine before 
publication. "Its content is completely the domain of the editors, and [the 
association] has no input to this process."

He said the editors were elected by the students.

"This is unique to Auckland University, as all other students associations 
employ a staff member to fill this role, and as such have a greater degree 
of control."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom