Meth is made illegally in both large labs and small home-based operations in the United States and Mexico. The drug is not only dangerous to manufacture, but also highly addictive and causes a range of serious long-term health problems.
This guide outlines how to make meth, examines “what is meth made out of?”, and shows you how to get compassionate, effective addiction treatment.
Not all meth is made in large, sophisticated meth labs. While these labs exist, producing large quantities of the drug, there are also many small-scale operations. These smaller setups, often referred to as kitchen labs or one-pot labs, can be found in homes, apartments, and even vehicles.
The ingredients needed to make meth are relatively easy to obtain, which has led to widespread, decentralized production. Despite the scale, all meth labs pose significant dangers due to the toxic and flammable chemicals involved, which can lead to explosions and environmental contamination.
Methamphetamine production in the U.S. has changed dramatically over time. The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 [1] reduced the number of domestic meth labs by restricting access to cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine. This led to the rise of Mexican superlabs, which now produce most of the meth in the U.S., with purity levels between 95% and 99%. Despite these superlabs, thousands of smaller meth labs still exist in the U.S.
The impact of these changes is evident in meth seizure statistics. Meth seizures by the U.S. Border Patrol rose from 8,900 pounds 0 to 82,000 pounds between 2010 and 2018. However, a significant amount of meth still enters the U.S. undetected, suggesting actual production numbers are substantially higher.
The process of cooking this meth is extremely dangerous and poses significant risks to those involved in the process as well as to the surrounding environment. These risks include:
Law enforcement has made significant progress in reducing meth production through educational initiatives and stricter regulations. The 2005 Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act played a pivotal role in reducing domestic meth lab incidents [5] from 24,248 in 2004 to 9,854 in 2014. These efforts have been bolstered by partnerships between law enforcement and local agencies to identify and dismantle meth labs.
However, the decline in domestic production has coincided with increased Mexican meth production. Law enforcement now prioritizes the interception of meth at border entry points and during highway stops. Over the past five years, meth seizures have increased by 300% [6], while seizures of other drugs have only seen slight increases.
Meth-related arrests have also surged across the United States. For instance, meth arrests in Oregon rose by 64% from 2011 to 2015, while meth violations tripled in Montana during the same period. Despite these challenges, law enforcement continues to adapt its strategies to effectively combat meth production and distribution.
How is meth made, then? Meth is made using various toxic and hazardous ingredients. The main active ingredient is pseudoephedrine, which is found in many over-the-counter cold medications.
To produce meth, pseudoephedrine is combined with a range of dangerous chemicals. These can include anhydrous ammonia, which is used in fertilizers, red phosphorus from matchboxes, and lithium from batteries. Each of these chemicals contributes to the potency of meth but also makes it incredibly dangerous to manufacture and use. The process creates a highly addictive and harmful drug with severe health risks.
Combining these ingredients creates a volatile reaction, often leading to explosions during the manufacturing process. These toxic chemicals also result in dangerous byproducts that can cause severe physical harm and environmental damage.
Crystal meth is a form of meth that is made using highly toxic and flammable chemicals. This substance is illicitly made by incorporating a series of chemical reactions involving pseudoephedrine or ephedrine, added to a solvent like gasoline, and then exposed to high temperatures to crystallize.
This process is extremely dangerous due to the high risk of explosion and the toxicity of the chemicals involved. The resulting meth is a potent stimulant that can cause severe addiction and health issues. Inhaling fumes from meth production can cause permanent respiratory issues as well as skin and eye damage.
While pseudoephedrine is a key ingredient in traditional meth production, there are alternative and exceedingly more dangerous methods that people use to make methamphetamine without it.
One such method involves using P2P (phenyl-2-propanone) as the starting material. P2P is combined with various chemicals to create methamphetamine. This process is known as the P2P method and is more complex and dangerous than using pseudoephedrine.
The chemicals involved are highly toxic and can cause severe health risks and environmental damage. This method is also harder to detect, making it a common choice for clandestine labs.
Methamphetamine was first synthesized in 1893 by a Japanese chemist named Nagai Nagayoshi. He extracted the active ingredient from the ephedra plant, known for its stimulant effects [7]. In 1919, another Japanese chemist, Akira Ogata, streamlined the process, making it easier to produce methamphetamine.
Initially, meth was used medically to treat conditions like narcolepsy and ADHD and was also used during World War II to keep soldiers awake. Over time, the potential for abuse became evident, leading to its regulation [8] and eventual illegal production.
If you or a loved one are struggling with meth addiction, Gratitude Lodge is here to help.
Our insurance-covered medical detox program makes meth withdrawal safer and more comfortable. While there are no medications with FDA approval for treating meth withdrawal and addiction, 24/7 clinical and emotional care makes the transition to ongoing inpatient treatment smoother.
All meth addictions are different, so all our programs offer personalized therapies like:
For immediate help fighting meth addiction, call Gratitude Lodge at 844-576-0144.
[1] https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-drug-class/legal-requirements-sale-and-purchase-drug-products-containing-pseudoephedrine-ephedrine-and#:~:text=The%20Combat%20Methamphetamine%20Epidemic%20Act,commonly%20used%20to%20make%20methamphetamine.
[2] https://www.cureus.com/articles/119627-methamphetamine-lab-explosion-a-pediatric-emergency-medicine-case#!/
[3] https://www.cdc.gov/copd/index.html
[4] https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/population-health/odh/documents/meth-mouth.pdf
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4440680/
[6] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/13/us/meth-crystal-drug.html
[7] https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ephedra
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