How to Make Meth: Meth Production & Its Dangers

Meth (methamphetamine) is one of the most dangerous and addictive drugs. Its production involves toxic chemicals and dangerous processes that not only harm those who use it but also threaten the environment and public safety. Meth can be made in makeshift labs, often set up in homes or hidden locations, putting entire communities at risk.

This page explores how meth is made, what meth is made out of, and the array of damage this drug can use. You will also discover how to get compassionate and effective treatment if you have been misusing stimulants like meth.

Who Invented Meth?

Meth was developed in 1893 by Nagai Nagayoshi, a Japanese chemist. [1] He figured out how to make crystal meth by deriving it from another stimulant – ephedrine – which comes from plants. In the 1920s, scientists learned how to produce meth in a lab for medical use. It was originally used to treat asthma and narcolepsy, a disorder that causes extreme daytime sleepiness. Meth was used during World War II to help soldiers stay alert and fight fatigue.

After the war, though, meth’s addictive potential became clear. People started to misuse it for its stimulant effects like increasing focus and energy. By the 1950s, it was available as a prescription for weight loss and depression, but it was soon discovered that the drug was highly addictive. In the 1970s, the U.S. government classified meth as a Schedule II drug, meaning it has some medical uses but a high potential for abuse. Today, meth is mostly known as an illegal drug made in dangerous clandestine labs.

Is All Meth Made in a Meth Lab?

Not all meth is made in the large, organized labs many people imagine. While some meth is produced in superlabs run by criminal cartels, much of the meth found in the United States is made in smaller, hidden labs. These smaller operations can be set up almost anywhere – in homes, garages, or cars. Small meth labs also figured out how to cook meth, known as mom-and-pop labs, that individuals or small groups can operate.

The people making meth in these hidden labs don’t need formal chemistry training. They often use everyday items and household chemicals to create meth, which makes these labs extremely dangerous. The chemicals are toxic and can cause fires, explosions, or severe poisoning. Despite the dangers, smaller labs remain common as they allow people to make meth quickly and cheaply in secret locations.

How Much Meth Is Produced in the United States Each Year?

While the production of meth in small domestic labs has decreased over the years due to stricter laws, the total amount of meth available in the U.S. has risen. This is because most of the meth now comes from superlabs operated by criminal organizations outside the United States, especially in Mexico. These large-scale operations can produce hundreds of pounds of meth at a time, which is then smuggled across the border.

Meth seizures at the U.S. border have increased dramatically in recent years. In 2010, law enforcement agencies seized 9,000 pounds of meth. By 2018, this number had jumped to roughly 82,000 pounds. [2] With not all meth is smuggled into the country being seized, these numbers suggest that production has reached crisis levels. The easy availability of meth has contributed to the growing addiction problem in many U.S. states.

 While law enforcement has cracked down on domestic meth labs, the overall supply has not been greatly reduced because of the large quantities being brought in from other countries. This shift in meth production has made it harder to track and control the supply, prompting more challenges in the fight against meth addiction.

How Successful Has Law Enforcement Been in Stopping Meth Production?

Law enforcement has made progress in reducing domestic meth production but stopping it completely has proved challenging. In the early 2000s, meth was usually made in small labs across the United States. These labs used ingredients like pseudoephedrine to create meth. In 2005, the U.S. passed the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act, which restricted the sale of products containing pseudoephedrine. This made it hard for people to get the main ingredient needed to make meth and triggered a sharp drop in domestic production.

As a result of these laws, the number of meth labs in the U.S. has decreased significantly. Before the law passed, there were over 15,000 meth lab incidents each year. By 2017, that number had fallen by more than 80%, with fewer than 3,500 incidents reported. This drop shows that law enforcement has been successful in reducing small-scale meth production within the country. [3]

 However, while domestic production decreased, much of the meth used in the U.S. is now made in larger superlabs capable of producing large quantities of highly pure meth. 

What Is Meth Made Of?

Meth is made from a combination of chemicals, many of which are harmful and not intended for human consumption. The main ingredient in the meth recipe is either pseudoephedrine or ephedrine, both found in some over-the-counter cold medications. These substances are the foundation for making meth because they can be chemically altered into a potent stimulant.

The production process involves mixing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine with chemicals like acetone (used in nail polish), lithium (taken from batteries), anhydrous ammonia (found in fertilizer), and red phosphorus (found in matches and road flares). These chemicals are extremely toxic and can cause severe harm to anyone exposed to them during the meth-making process.

There is no control over the ingredients in the crystal meth recipe because it’s made in illegal labs. Producer sometimes mix in other substances to make more meth and increase their profits. This makes the drug even more dangerous.

Meth Ingredients

These are some of the ingredients used to make meth:

• Pseudoephedrine or ephedrine: These ingredients start the process of making meth. They are altered chemically to create meth’s stimulant effects.
• Acetone: This solvent is found in paint thinner and nail polish remover. It is highly flammable and can cause severe irritation if touched or inhaled.
• Anhydrous ammonia: This is commonly used as a fertilizer in farming. When mixed with other meth ingredients, it can produce toxic fumes that burn the skin and lungs.
• Lithium: This chemical is taken from batteries and reacts violently with water, making it dangerous to handle.
• Red phosphorus: Found in road flares and matches, this ingredient is toxic and explosive when used in meth production.

 Each of these ingredients is hazardous on its own, but when combined to make meth, the risk intensifies.

How Is Crystal Meth Made?

Crystal meth is made through a chemical process that transforms pseudoephedrine or ephedrine into meth – this is known as cooking meth.

 The process begins with these ingredients being extracted from cold medications. The person making meth then adds chemicals like acetone, red phosphorus, and lithium to trigger a chemical reaction. The process is performed by heating the mixture to crystallize the meth. The crystals are then collected, dried, and prepared for use or sale.

There are many methods for making meth, but the most common is called the red, white, and blue method. This refers to the colors of some of the chemicals used – red phosphorus, white pseudoephedrine, and blue iodine crystals. While this process is the most well-known, it is also one of the most dangerous due to its flammable and explosive nature.

Making meth in this way produces a high-purity drug, but it also creates a lot of toxic waste ­for every pound of meth made, several pounds of hazardous waste are produced. This waste can seep into the environment, polluting soil, water, and air, making meth production a major environmental hazard.

Making Methamphetamine Without Pseudoephedrine

While pseudoephedrine is the most common ingredient for making meth, drug manufacturers have found ways to make the drug without it. One common method uses a chemical called P2P (phenyl-2-propanone). P2P can be made from various substances, including chemicals found in common industrial products. This method became more popular when laws restricting the sale of pseudoephedrine were enforced, making it harder to obtain cold medications in large amounts.

The P2P method allows meth producers to bypass the need for pseudoephedrine, but it doesn’t make the process any safer. P2P is just as hazardous and requires the use of other dangerous chemicals like cyanide and mercury to complete the meth production. These toxic substances can cause severe harm to anyone involved in the manufacturing process and the environment.

Meth made with P2P is often just as potent, if not more so, than meth made with pseudoephedrine. This form of meth can be just as addictive and destructive, leading to serious health issues for users, such as brain damage, heart problems, and violent behavior. Unfortunately, because of its availability and low cost, P2P-based meth has become a growing issue in many parts of the world.

Risks of Cooking Meth

Cooking meth is extremely dangerous. The process involves combining toxic and flammable chemicals that can easily catch fire or explode. Meth labs, whether large operations or small setups in homes or vehicles, are prone to accidents. These explosions can injure or kill not only the people making the meth but also anyone nearby, including neighbors and first responders. 

One of the biggest risks is the exposure to harmful chemicals. The fumes produced during meth production are highly toxic and can damage the lungs, skin, and eyes. Inhaling these fumes can lead to serious health issues, including respiratory problems, chemical burns, and even death. People who cook meth often experience severe injuries, such as burns and poisoning, because of the exposure to these dangerous substances.

The environmental risks are also significant. Meth labs generate a large amount of hazardous waste, which is often dumped illegally. This waste can seep into the ground and water supply, contaminating the environment and making it dangerous for anyone in the area. Cleaning up these sites is costly and requires specialized hazmat teams to remove the toxic materials safely.

Beyond this, meth labs pose a risk to the community, especially children. Many meth labs are set up in homes where children live, exposing them to harmful chemicals and unsafe conditions. Children found in these environments often suffer from health issues, neglect, and developmental problems as a result of living near meth production.

Get Substance Abuse Help in a Compassionate, Renowned Addiction Treatment Center at Renaissance Recovery

If you or someone you care about have been abusing meth, we can help you get back on track at Renaissance Recovery.

We treat all addictions and mental health conditions in an outpatient setting at our upscale rehabs in California and Florida. This enables you to live at home and continue at work or school while getting effective addiction treatment during weekday sessions at Renaissance.

All addictions are unique, so we offer personalized treatment plans to reflect this. Therapies might include:

• Talk therapies
• Motivational therapies
• Family therapy
• Counseling
• Group therapy
• Holistic treatment
• Medication-assisted treatment
• Aftercare

Begin your recovery from meth addiction today by calling 866-330-9449.

Sources

[1] https://www.narconon.org/drug-information/meth-short-overview.html

[2] https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/meth-comeback-opioid-epidemic-america-734097/

[3] https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/methamphetamine/how-methamphetamine-manufactured

[4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3144468/