History of Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is not a new drug, although it has become more powerful in recent years as manufacturing techniques have evolved.
Amphetamine was first created in 1887 in Germany and methamphetamine, which is more potent and easier to make, was developed in Japan in 1919. The crystalline powder’s ability to dissolve in water made it suitable for injection.
During World War II, methamphetamine was widely used by both sides to keep troops awake. High doses were given to Japanese Kamikaze pilots before their suicide missions. After the war, methamphetamine abuse by injection became widespread when military supplies became available to the Japanese public.
In the 1950s, methamphetamine was prescribed as a diet aid and to combat depression. It was easily available and used as a nonmedical stimulant by college students, truck drivers and athletes, leading to widespread abuse.
This pattern changed significantly in the 1960s with the increased availability of injectable methamphetamine, worsening the problem.
In 1970, the US government made most uses of methamphetamine illegal. After that, American motorcycle gangs took control of much of the drug’s production and distribution.
In the 1990s, Mexican drug-trafficking organizations set up large meth laboratories in California. These massive labs could produce 50 pounds of meth in a single weekend, while smaller private labs appeared in kitchens and apartments, earning the drug the nickname stove top. Meth then spread across the United States and into Europe. Today, most of the meth available in Asia is produced in Thailand, Myanmar and China.
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