NCJ Number
235369
Date Published
May 1997
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This report explains the characteristics of readily available and unregulated Ephedra and its current and potential use as a starting material for the clandestine preparation of methamphetamine.
Abstract
Legislation passed in 1988 and 1994 to regulate the availability of ephedrine products significantly reduced the domestic availability of ephedrine to operators of clandestine methamphetamine labs. This has caused meth manufacturing organizations to look for substitutes for this key starting material for the preparation of methamphetamine. One substitute that has already been used is Ephedra, the plant from which natural ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are extracted. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has documented five such cases since 1993. In its various forms, Ephedra is currently regulated only as a food product or diet supplement and is currently widely available in the United States. Ephedra is currently arriving in the United States in massive shipments under the guise of dietary supplements and food products. Law enforcement and regulatory agencies agree that Ephedra products are viable starting materials for the production of meth. According to K.S. Andrews, a chemist at DEA's Western laboratory in San Francisco, the ephedrine and pseudoephedrine alkaloids can be removed from Ephedra extract or Ma Huang with up to 96-percent efficiency. Those organizations having direct ties to powerful, well-financed Mexican drug-trafficking organization with access to bulk ephedrine are likely to continue to use it because it is easier to use than the Ephedra products, although it is more expensive; however, those organizations without an established, continuous supply of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine can be expected to turn to essentially unregulated Ephedra products. Otherwise, they will be forced out of the meth market because of increased prices and reduced supplies. 22 references