History of
Methamphetamine Use
- Ma huang, a rare herb, used as a stimulant for 5000 years in Chinese medicine
- 1885 Nagayoshi Nagai isolates ephedrine from ma huang
- 1887 Lazar Edelano synthesizes phenylisopropylamine, an ephedrine-like amphetamine
- 1893 Methamphetamine synthesized from ephedrine by chemist Nagayoshi Nagai
- 1919 Methamphetamine crystallized by Akira Ogata
- 1927 Gordon Alles of UCLA resynthesizes Edelano's phenylisopropylamine
- 1932 Alles sells rights to Smith, Kline, French, who market it as decongestant Benzedrine
- Benzedrine is abused throughout the Great Depression and WWII
- 1937 Benzedrine tablet form
to treat Narcolepsy (spontaneous Sleep Disorder)
- 1938 Meth marketed to German populus under the name Pervitin
- (1940 - present) Military applications help soldiers fight fatigue and enhance performance.
- Post WWII military grade Meth released to Japanese public causing epidemic abuse
- 1950s Meth used to treat Korean veterans addicted to morphine
- 1960 US epidemic
of intravenous methamphetamine abuse.
- 1970 Meth was regulated
under the Controlled Substance Act.
- 1980's New forms of
Meth were introduced that can be smoked.
- 1990's Meth use becomes
epidemic throughout the US.
- Currently prescribed as part of a treatment plan for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Obesity and Narcolepsy
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