This quarter the West, Southwest, and the South there are
reports of methamphetamine and ephedrine as emerging drugs.
According to DEA sources, Mexican manufacturers and distributors
have replaced the outlaw motorcycle groups which had produced
methamphetamine supplies for over twenty years. The new
manufacturers are producing large quantities of high purity
methamphetamine on both sides of the border, drawing on the legal
supply of the precursor chemicals on the Mexican side. The price
of methamphetamine had dropped significantly (to approximately
$3000/pound in Southern California) until recent efforts to
curtail ephedrine/pseudoephedrine supplies produced a slight
shortage in some areas and a corresponding price increase. In
Washington State, sources report that the resultant price increase
has caused a number of methamphetamine users in that area to switch
to cocaine.
One Texas source cited a number of reports of adverse effects
of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, a common substance in a number of
over the counter and/or health food products. Ephedrine tablets can
be purchased in Mexico and are often seized at the border or in
other locations in transit to U.S.-based manufacturers. Some of
the ephedrine/pseudoephedrine products readily available in Texas
include 40 or 50 milligrams of ephedrine as well as substantial
quantities of caffeine. Adverse consequences of their use include
agitation, palpitations, and fainting from the stimulant effect.
Called "herbal ecstasy" in both Texas and Southern California and
touted as "safe" or "legal" MDMA, it is reportedly
available from some health food stores or through mail order.
Methamphetamine continues to be popular in San Francisco. The
ethnographer from that area reports that in addition to its use by
young users who combine it with heroin ("a meth speedball") it can
also be found in "biker's coffee," a combination of methamphetamine
and coffee popular among young, fairly affluent urbanites. This is
similar to the population of users described by the Los Angeles
source. In that area, users are primarily snorting methamphetamine
rather than smoking it as "ice" or injecting it.
"Club drugs", a name which generally includes MDMA, Ketamine,
2C-B, LSD, psilocybin, and a range of other hallucinogens, are
increasingly mentioned this quarter. We have discussed the
appearance of several of these drugs (MDMA, LSD, Ketamine,
Rohypnol) in prior Pulse Check reports. 2C-B
(4-bromo-2, 5-dimethoxyphenethylamine), one of the earliest of the "club drugs"
mentioned in the Northeast area, is now appearing in other parts of
the country (the Mid-Atlantic and the South). 2C-B, often called
"Nexus," "bromo" or "toonies, "is an illegal synthetic
hallucinogen. It was originally sold in adult bookstores,
nightclubs and health food stores until it was deemed to have no
medical or commercial uses in 1994. Once touted as a "natural"
drug by claiming that one of its ingredients (a fictional
ingredient called brominated cathinine) was derived from the khat
plant, Nexus had attracted a following who view it as a "healthy
drug." In fact, the active ingredient is the synthetic 2C-B and
this claim was simply a marketing tool. It now has a temporary
status as a Schedule I controlled substance. 2C-B is available in
capsule or powder and is taken either orally or snorted in 10-20 mg
doses. It produces visual effects and euphoria lasting several
hours at low doses and hallucinogenic effects similar to LSD at
higher doses.
