- Clandestine production accounts for nearly all of the methamphetamine sold and abused in the US.
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- Methamphetamine is clandestinely manufactured using the ephedrine or pseudoephedrine reduction method.
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- In this process, over-the-counter cold and allergy tablets containing ephedrine or pseudo-ephedrine are placed in a solution of water, alcohol, or other solvent for several hours until the ephedrine or pseudoephedrine separates from the tablet.
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- Then, using common household products and equipment, and a recipe learned from friends or taken off the Internet, the ephedrine or pseudoephedrine is converted into high quality Methamphetamine in makeshift, illegal labs by untrained individuals.
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- Household products contain most of the necessary chemicals to complete the manufacturing process.
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- Certain brands of drain cleaner have a high concentration of sulfuric acid.
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- When mixed with salt, hydrogen chloride gas is produced for use in the final stage of meth production.
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- The chemical vapors produced during cooking permeate the walls and carpets of houses and buildings, making them uninhabitable. The cost of cleaning up a structure that housed a meth lab requires specialized training and can range anywhere from $3,000 to $100,000 — and the owner may be liable for the cleanup.
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