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.

3 lines later..

>.. The Drug Enforcement Agency tests the meth they seize to see how it was made.

quick answer!

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 noticeable 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 very well only in one.

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.