History of Meth

1887 Amphetamine is first synthesized by Lazar Edeleanu at the University of Berlin.

1919 Methamphetamine is first synthesized by Japanese chemist Akira Ogata.

1932 The first commercial product containing amphetamine is marketed over the counter in the U.S. as an inhalant for nasal decongestion and asthma.

1940 The Burroughs Wellcome company introduces methamphetamine tablets to commercial markets under the name Methedrine.

1943 Half of manufacturers' Benzedrine prescription sales were for weight control, depression, or simply to stay awake, and new variations on the popular, legal compounds of amphetamine and methamphetamine flourish under over 100 different names.

1954 The first Japanese methamphetamine epidemic peaks, with up to 2 million people (over 2% of the total population) using meth intravenously.

1963 The State Attorney General of California and the U.S. Department of Justice request that injectable ampoules of amphetamine products be removed from the market, leaving intravenous users with a supply vacuum, and ushering in illicit manufacture.

1970 Legal production of amphetamines reaches over 10 billion tablets, far exceeding the amount needed for legitimate medical use.

The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 classifies amphetamine/methamphetamine as a Schedule II drug.

1971 to 1986 The number of prescriptions written for the amphetamines declines by 90%.

1988 The Chemical Diversion and Trafficking Act allows for Federal regulation of some precursors.

1996 The Federal Methamphetamine Control Act strengthens penalties for possession, distribution, and manufacturing, as well as tightening controls on precursors.

1998 Ninety percent of all drug arrests in Japan are methamphetamine-related.

2003 Ephedrine, the key ingredient in many contemporary meth recipes, is banned in its pure form in the U.S. under the Ephedra Prohibition Act.

The Florida Office of Drug Control and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement publish Florida's Statewide Methamphetamine Strategy.

2004 Oklahoma passes the earliest comprehensive legislation restricting ephedrine/pseudoephedrine products, limiting sales to pharmacies, requiring that products be placed behind counters, and forcing buyers to register the sale with identification.

The Federal Government releases the National Synthetic Drugs Action Plan, outlining the Federal response to the production, trafficking, and abuse of synthetic drugs and diverted pharmaceuticals.

2005 The National Association of Counties finds that 58% of county law enforcement agencies surveyed listed methamphetamine as the number one drug problem in their areas.

The Drug Enforcement Administration publishes an updated version of their Guidelines for the Cleanup of Clandestine Drug Laboratories.

The Florida Alliance for Drug Endangered Children is formed to promote the DEC team concept and raise public awareness of the problems faced by Drug Endangered Children.

The Office of Drug Control establishes the Methamphetamine Workgroup to bring key state agencies together on a regular basis to jointly assess the extent of the meth danger in Florida, and then devise joint, multi-agency approaches to combating both the continued spread of meth as well as the harmful social and environmental effects resulting from its production and use.

Florida House Bill 1347 goes into effect, with precursor controls, new felony offenses, and increase penalties for meth-related offenses.

2006 The National Combat Methamphetamine Act is signed into law, containing, among other things, provisions that significantly bolster international precursor control efforts.

Florida House Bill 1325 is signed by the Governor. This new anti-meth law contains several unique provisions designed to protect the children of meth abusers, those who respond to lab incidents, and the general safety of our communities.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy publishes the Synthetic Drug Control Strategy, presenting the Administration's plan for responding to the illicit use and production of methamphetamine.

For More Information see PBS's Frontline Timeline

SOURCES:

Hunt, D., Kuck, S., & L. Truitt. (2006). Methamphetamine Use: Lessons Learned. Abt Associates Inc.