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Why Sudafed Is Behind The Counter: A Meth Chemistry Lesson

The drug phobia that now has us firmly in its grip, you know, the "let's restrict everything" mentality, didn't start with Vicodin, Valium, or Ritalin. It began with Sudafed, which contains the drug pseudoephedrine. If you've watched Breaking Bad you know very well that pseudoephedrine can be chemically modified to produce methamphetamine, aka crystal meth, which is why Sudafed was taken off pharmacy shelves in 2006

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Articles of Interest

Do We Need Even Tighter Controls on Sudafed?

Methamphetamine cooks cannot operate their labs without easy access to the cold medicines that contain pseudoephedrine (PSE). This has resulted in a long-running political battle across the U.S.

How CVS Became Meth Makers' Favorite Drugstore

The smurfers loved CVS. And CVS loved them back. The giant drugstore chain became the go-to spot for hordes of shady buyers, called smurfers, who ran around scooping up over-the-counter decongestants under orders from bad guys who cook up methamphetamine. Inside those nonprescription medicines is pseudoephedrine, an essential ingredient for making meth that was in short supply after Mexico, a big source of meth, banned sales of the ingredient back in 2007.

Is Sudafed Addictive?

Pseudoephedrine is the active ingredient in Sudafed. It is similar to amphetamine, which is a stimulant. Risks associated with Sudafed include physical and psychological side effects, as well as possible overdose and addiction. There’s no quick way to get Sudafed out of your system.

Losing The War On Meth And Sudafed At The Same Time

The war on meth, including collateral damage to people with colds, has been stuck at a stalemate. Abuse rates initially dropped by two-thirds after the pseudoephedrine regulations went into effect. But over the last three years abuse is trending back up again toward pre-2006 levels. Meth users now buy drugs imported illegally from Mexico,...

Pseudoephedrine—Benefits and Risks

The substance is taken as an appetite reducer, an agent which eliminates drowsiness and fatigue, to improve concentration and as a doping agent. Due to its easier availability, it is sometimes used as a substitute for amphetamine or methamphetamine. Pseudoephedrine is also a substrate (precursor) used in the production of these drugs. Time will tell whether legal restrictions on the sale of this drug will reduce the scale of the problem associated with its misuse.

Scoring Some Sudafed For Your Cold -- Legally

Under a federal law that took full effect on Sept. 30, retailers must now sell products containing pseudoephedrine, such as Pfizer Inc.'s Sudafed and Schering-Plough Corp.'s Claritin-D, from behind the pharmacy or retail counter or from a locked display case. That is because pseudoephedrine and certain other decongestants can in large quantities be used to make the illegal drug methamphetamine.

The Rise of Super Meth: The Destructive Effects of P2P Methamphetamine

When U.S. drug legislation pushed ephedrine and pseudoephedrine behind pharmacy counters in 2006, meth cartels completely reinvented their processes. The result was a more potent, more plentiful, and more affordable version of standard methamphetamine. And it started with an old method that had been nearly forgotten. This was the birth of today’s super meth.

The Uselessness of Phenylephrine

Pseudoephedrine is an adrenergic receptor ligand, but it has far less stimulating properties than methamphetamine and a better pharmacological profile than ephedrine. It is famous for drying nasal passages during colds and allergies, at which it excels. Some people still notice amphetamine-like effects of sleeplessness and jitters at those doses, and at higher doses (not recommended!) pretty much everyone will. Across the board, these compounds can cause other CNS symptoms, increased blood pressure, loss of appetite, cardiac effects, difficulty urinating and more, but the window for these does seem to be widest with pseudoephedrine.

What is the difference between pseudoephedrine, ephedrine and methamphetamine?

Pseudoephedrine is a sympathomimetic amine. Its principal mechanism of action relies on its indirect action on the adrenergic receptor system. The vasoconstriction that pseudoephedrine produces is believed to be principally an alpha-adrenergic receptor response. It is used as a nasal/sinus decongestant and stimulant, or as a wakefulness-promoting agent.

Why you have to show ID to buy cold and flu tablets

Pseudoephedrine is found in a number of cold-and-flu tablets, and is known to be an “illicit drug precursor” because it can be diverted into the manufacture of amphetamine-type substances. These substances stimulate the central nervous system by increasing synaptic concentrations of three major neurotransmitters in the brain – dopamine, serotonin (5-HT) and noradrenaline. Problems for users can include anxiety, panic attacks, paranoia and depression. And there are flow-on harms to the community through crime and violence.

Resources

Pseudoephedrine

Pseudoephedrine is an alpha and beta adrenergic agonist used to treat nasal and sinus congestion, as well as allergic rhinitis.