# Methamphetamines **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 6, 2000, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/methamphetamines/24787 "2000-07-06T21:49:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yosemite\_Joy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/13edae/32.png) [@Yosemite\_Joy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yosemite_Joy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2000, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/methamphetamines/24787/1 "2000-07-06T21:49:26Z")
My aunt has been addicted to meth (speed, crank) for the past several years and I want to know, what the heck is it made of? Who came up with the idea of making a drug to keep you awake all the time? Why in the world would someone want to? (I am a sleep deprived new mamma, and it is beyond me.) What is addicting in it? Has anyone seen the Meth commercial? (I live in WA and I have seen it several times). Please put an end to these questions. ---
**Author:** ![ATTGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@ATTGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ATTGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2000, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/methamphetamines/24787/2 "2000-07-06T22:35:05Z")
The Stranger, a cool Seattle newspaper, just did a feature on meth called _[The Crystal Cockroach](http://www.thestranger.com/2000-06-29/feature.HTML)_. In it is a pretty good explanation of what meth is made of, and how it’s made. Not enough info to actually _make_ the stuff, though. ---
**Author:** ![honkytonkwillie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@honkytonkwillie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/honkytonkwillie)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/methamphetamines/24787/3 "2000-07-08T07:56:48Z")
Methamphetamine is a derivative of amphetamine. These amine drugs are a whole class of chemicals that have a similar structure with similar properties, and the amine drugs have stimulant properties. Amphetamine is available by prescription. Chemically, methamphetamine differs from amphetamine by a single methyl group, hence the meth- prefix. Specifically, a single -H (hydrogen atom)on the amphetamine molecule is replaced with a -CH3 (methyl group). This simple substitution makes methamphetamine act 10-100 times more strongly on the body. You can assume then, that it would take 10-100 simultaneous doses of the prescription to roughly equate to a single dose of methamphetamine. ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/methamphetamines/24787/4 "2000-07-08T08:01:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Yosemite\_Joy \* > \*\*I am a sleep deprived new mamma, and it is beyond me.) \*\* Wait a minute. Yesterday you had one month left to serve in the Navy. Did they change the regulations?