Why so little meth in U.K?

[sambo82]

swim was wondering why there is so little meth in the uk? there is lots of people who enjoy amphetmines and lots are into base (strong ampt) but generally there is no meth?

the uk is 1 of the biggest drug users in the world and lots of other countries seem to have meth problems etc but not england?

[angela20377]

lack of trailer parks?

sorry, i couldn't resist.

swim isn't very educated on the meth use in england, but if what swiy says is true, then it is pretty strange, as it seems like there would be a good number of rural areas where meth could be made.

[FuBai]

Methamphetamine is most commonly made from ephedrine or Pseudo-ephedrine, both of which are common in over the counter cold remedies (sudafed being the most well known). In the USA the supplies of ephedrine and Pseudo-ephedrine were mostly unregulated until the latter part of the 1990's, which meant manufacturers could buy them in bulk from overseas, especially from India. This allowed Methamphetamine to become a popular drug, because commercial production levels were able to be so high. Britain's drug scene almost always seems to lag behind that of America - the only real exception being MDMA - so by the time people were looking to manufacture Methamphetamine in Britain the UK government had already had a chance to look at the American situation and place tight controls on ephedrine and pseudo-ephedrine, which limited the market before it had a chance to take off. The American government is not as flexible or homogeneous as the UK government for many reasons, but primarily because we have no fixed constitution and we have 'fused' powers where America has separate, so they still don't have the same level of control over the precursors that the UK government does. Couple that with heavy lobbying by pharmaceutical companies (who want to be able to continue selling sudafed) and an already large demand and you can see why America produces a lot more that the UK. I am not convinced that this will remain so - I know someone who has found and used Methamphetamine in Britain several times, UK police reports say that it can be found in every city in Britain and it can't be long before the big black markets start to trade in ephedrine.

Reputation Comments on this post:

good answer. alot better than my horrible one haha

[enquirewithin]

Originally Posted by FuBai

Methamphetamine is most commonly made from ephedrine or Pseudo-ephedrine, both of which are common in over the counter cold remedies (sudafed being the most well known). In the USA the supplies of ephedrine and Pseudo-ephedrine were mostly unregulated until the latter part of the 1990's, which meant manufacturers could buy them in bulk from overseas, especially from India.....

Fair enough, but why is amphetamine sulfate (almost always badly adulterated by several greedy dealers) so popular? That (and dexedrine and other pills) have been around for many years. Admittedly, for the sake of their sanity, people are better off with weaker 'speed,' but does 'sulfate' have different precursors to meth?

[raissa de saia]

Originally Posted by FuBai

Methamphetamine is most commonly made from ephedrine or Pseudo-ephedrine, both of which are common in over the counter cold remedies (sudafed being the most well known). In the USA the supplies of ephedrine and Pseudo-ephedrine were mostly unregulated until the latter part of the 1990's, which meant manufacturers could buy them in bulk from overseas, especially from India. This allowed Methamphetamine to become a popular drug, because commercial production levels were able to be so high. Britain's drug scene almost always seems to lag behind that of America - the only real exception being MDMA - so by the time people were looking to manufacture Methamphetamine in Britain the UK government had already had a chance to look at the American situation and place tight controls on ephedrine and pseudo-ephedrine, which limited the market before it had a chance to take off. The American government is not as flexible or homogeneous as the UK government for many reasons, but primarily because we have no fixed constitution and we have 'fused' powers where America has separate, so they still don't have the same level of control over the precursors that the UK government does. Couple that with heavy lobbying by pharmaceutical companies (who want to be able to continue selling sudafed) and an already large demand and you can see why America produces a lot more that the UK. I am not convinced that this will remain so - I know someone who has found and used Methamphetamine in Britain several times, UK police reports say that it can be found in every city in Britain and it can't be long before the big black markets start to trade in ephedrine.

Although the historical quote matches reality I d think it d be much easier in the uk to produce meth as the regulations are not so tight in respect of many raw material for meth production: I2 being an example of which one can get a bunch and no one will say a thing. I d rely a lot more on the cultural aspect. although a huge populatin in the UK is driven by drugs during weekends and so on there is still a lot of scepticism and prejudice in these drug communities as to the use of meth. The situation is changing though

[rocksmokinmachine]

Originally Posted by raissa de saia

Although the historical quote matches reality I d think it d be much easier in the uk to produce meth as the regulations are not so tight in respect of many raw material for meth production:

Yes, you would think so, but now even cough and cold remedies are starting to contain phenylepherine instead of pseudoepherine in a Labour style "new super drug threat". Also illict produced amphetamine sulphate dominates the European market. Methamphetamine is scarcley available in bigger cities. This was probably 6 months ago, things may have changed.

[Lettish]

My friend thinks it just hasn't made its full way to the UK yet, still a bit quiet perhaps... Adolf Hitler used something similar to it between 1942-45 and it seems that's the closest it's been (Europe).

[insanec10wnz]

Originally Posted by Hydroxy

My friend thinks it just hasn't made its full way to the UK yet, still a bit quiet perhaps... Adolf Hitler used something similar to it between 1942-45 and it seems that's the closest it's been (Europe).

SWIM Has Gotten Great Glass In The U.K When He Visted With No Problems.
Did'nt Know Anyone That Had Lived There/Had Connections. It's Out There Mabey Scarce But No Doubt Present.

[English_T]

Originally Posted by insanec10wnz

SWIM Has Gotten Great Glass In The U.K When He Visted With No Problems.
Did'nt Know Anyone That Had Lived There/Had Connections. It's Out There Mabey Scarce But No Doubt Present.

Hitler was using Methamphetamine via daily injection and many, many other pharmaceuticals and weird concoctions. Problem was he met a Dr and that Dr totally took over his life with various drugs resulting in him losing touch with reality/mental problems. In conjunction with the parkinson's disease he had led to serious mental degradation and possibly lost Germany the war.

(Look at Hitler pre War and post war, the difference is frightening. Or better still check photo's prior to his meeting this Dr and then each year after that, that Dr sucked all the life/intelligence out of him)

[JKLJKLJKL]

I read an article about crystal meth being the 'new it drug' in like cosmo or something. obviously not a positive article, but it was some girly magazine that ran a feature on its worrying increase of uk use.

I've never seen it about.

[steven7]

SWIM has took UK base/amp sulphate kinds whizz for well over a decade and found that period of time, some of the best times of his life, well along with other drugs. but amp shulphate is amazing, i hope meth does become a problem, id love to try it.

im along awaiting the day,...

[Paracelsus]

It might be God taking care of the sanity of the British

Different countries, different situations & customs >> different markets. This also applies to the black market drug trade.

[steven7]

Such a small country compared to the usa, meth heads would flood/ruin the country within weeks, lol = population of the uk even more f__ked up then it already is. The prisons are already full to the brim to start with anyways lol I would dread to think. its here, its just finding it. or of coarse making it. Which isnt really that good of a idea for most english folk.

[Paracelsus]

does 'sulfate' have different precursors to meth?

Methamphetamine can be made by synthesizing amphetamine and then methylating it, but that is not commonly done due to the availability of ephedrine. Generally speaking, the definition of 'speed' is amphetamine in Europe and methamphetamine in the US.

[Donmeka]

Originally Posted by Paracelsus

Methamphetamine can be made by synthesizing amphetamine and then methylating it, but that is not commonly done due to the availability of ephedrine. Generally speaking, the definition of 'speed' is amphetamine in Europe and methamphetamine in the US.

this is what SWIM heard people seem to have str8 amphetamine instead of methamphetamine.

before this post SWIM hasn't heard any wheres the meth in UK/EU!? SWIM has only seen questions on the amph or euro "speed" available. people are probably content with what they have or don't know or care for meth.

[rocksmokinmachine]

Originally Posted by Donmeka

this is what SWIM heard people seem to have str8 amphetamine instead of methamphetamine.

True

Originally Posted by Donmeka

People are probably content with what they have or don't know or care for meth

Untrue. It is simply not widely available. Illicitly produced amphetamine sulphate dominates the market because it is extremely cheap, popular, considerded much more socially acceptable than methamphetamine and is generally produced in huge labs, instead of small, unsofisticated home made operations.

[sirdrugalot]

Originally Posted by rocksmokinmachine

True



Untrue. It is simply not widely available. Illicitly produced amphetamine sulphate dominates the market because it is extremely cheap, popular, considerded much more socially acceptable than methamphetamine and is generally produced in huge labs, instead of small, unsofisticated home made operations.

yeah your right about it not being socially acceptable in such close net communities like the uk where miss jones over the road knows what you eat for your breakfast the last thing you want going about is your smoking meth. its different in america no one knows each other every ones a stranger and i think in general they have less morals any thing gos have sex with your cousin, shoot up a school, vote a madman in twice as your leader.

[rocksmokinmachine]

Originally Posted by sirdrugalot

yeah your right about it not being socially acceptable in such close net communities like the uk where miss jones over the road knows what you eat for your breakfast.

I disagree with this comment, there are close net communities (as there are everywhere in the world), the UK has its big cities too. It isn't to do with the negative stigma as much, it is more to do with the availablity of cheaap, illictily produced amphetamine sulphate. The same goes for pretty much all of Western Europe.

[enquirewithin]

I know that methamphetamine, amphetamine sulfate, dexedrine, etc, are all 'speed.'

I can't work out whether this idea that lack of ephedrine/ pseudoephedrine precursors is the reason for the lack of meth in the UK. What precursors are needed to make amphetamine sulfate in that case?

[Paracelsus]

I didn't really care to ever look into this, maybe you could find more in the chemistry fora?

[FuBai]

I got my information from this documentary - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/view/, and from the fact that know that ephedrine has come under tight control in the UK. I think others may be right in saying that the meth scene is still waiting to take off, because I don't understand why we don't just import already made Meth.

[English_T]

Amphetamine sulphate has got the market pretty much covered and is cheap as hell.

[enquirewithin]

^That sounds like the reason to me!

[Jatelka]

There's an interesting document in the archive here...

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/loc...=3335&catid=57

About Amphetamine and Meth in the UK

[FuBai]

Originally Posted by Jatelka

There's an interesting document in the archive here...

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/loc...=3335&catid=57

About Amphetamine and Meth in the UK

I love how the first recommendation they gave was:

"MA is a potent derivative of amphetamines with a substantial health risk and dependence liability. However, based on our review, there does not appear to be a firm foundation and rationale for reclassifying the drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, at least at the present time. There does not appear to be evidence at present in the UK that MA is causing much harm - but there is evidence form other countries in terms of brain damage from heavy use – also there is evidence in preclinical studies as to why this might be and the fact that MA can be smoked means it is more addictive if used in this way – as AMP cannot be smoked. It is also possible that reclassification could have the unintended consequence of increasing interest in the drug amongst potential users."

What did the government do upon reading this? They re-classified it.

("Methamphetamine - often referred to as crystal meth - was reclassified as a Class A drug on 18th January 2007." - Talk to Frank website)