Pubdate: Sun, 23 Sep 2007
Source: State, The (SC)
Copyright: 2007 The State
Contact:  http://www.thestate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/426

METH ONCE USED TO TREAT OBESITY, ALCOHOLISM

Meth Has A Long And Storied History -- Even Adolph Hitler Used It.

First made by a Japanese chemist in the 1890s, meth was  used during 
World War II by German troops to keep awake  and alert. Hitler's 
doctor administered a shot of meth  a day to the Nazi leader.

In the 1950s, meth was legal in America and could be  obtained by 
prescription. Doctors used it to treat  obesity, alcoholism and narcolepsy.

In 1965, in response to growing abuse, Congress passed  the Drug 
Abuse Control Act, the first step toward  severely limiting meth's sale.

Addicts reacted by cooking their own meth, often at  home, in make-do 
surroundings. Meth was often a cocaine  substitute, since it was as 
addictive but cheaper than  the white powder.

In the 1970s, various motorcycle gangs began cooking  and selling 
meth. These days, while meth is  concentrated in rural communities, 
it is also a popular  "club drug" in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.

Meth, sometimes called crank, is cheap and easy to make.

Addicts who want to make the drug can get recipes off  the Internet. 
Recipes differ but depend on the chemical  reduction of the 
decongestants ephedrine and  pseudoephedrine.

Other chemicals used as catalysts can explode or catch  fire during 
the cooking process. Law enforcement agents  often find labs because 
of fires and explosions. Gases  generated also can be dangerous, 
especially to  children, who can suffer lung and nerve damage.

The federal government and many states now restrict the  sale of meth 
ingredients. While that has cut down on  the number of U.S. labs, 
addicts continue to buy meth  imported from Mexico.

But, with crackdowns expected at the Mexican border,  the number of 
U.S. labs is likely to rise again,  officials say.

- -- John Monk

The Nazi and Red P methods

Local authorities say the "Nazi method" is by far the  most popular 
way to make meth in the Midlands. It uses  anhydrous ammonia (a 
liquified fertilizer) and lithium  from batteries as catalysts.

The Nazi method requires no heat source and can be made  by mixing 
the ingredients in buckets until the drug  begins to crystallize.

A second method, known as the "Red P" method, does  require heat and 
is gaining traction.

Red P is named after its main ingredient, red  phosphorus. Red 
phosphorus itself isn't dangerous. But  when it reacts with water and 
oxygen, it forms  colorless, odorless and poisonous phosphine gas.

Meth cooks often will buy hundreds of matchbooks for  their striker 
plates, which contain red phosphorus.

Red P labs are rare in the Midlands, but not unheard of.

June 1, Lexington County deputies busted what Sheriff  James Metts 
called the biggest Red P lab the department  has seen, in a 
neighborhood in Gaston.

Matchbooks were everywhere.

- -- Adam Beam, John Monk
- ---
MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart