19. HOW CAN I PURIFY MY SPEED?
There are a few different methods for purifying amphetamine, but one of the simplest and best ways to do this is with a dual solvent re-crystallisation. If you plan to do this however, be prepared for a LARGE reduction in volume. Keep in mind however the stuff you separate out isn't really any good to you anyway. Consider the fact that most street speed is less than 15% pure, which means the gram you just bought has about less than 150mg of active content. If done extremely carefully you won't lose much of the actual speed.
Re-crystallisation is based on the different saturation levels of hot and cold solvent. A saturated solution is one which has the maximum amount of solute dissolved in it. The saturation level of any given solvent rises and falls with the temperature. Put simply, when a solvent is heated it can dissolve a larger volume of solute, and as it cools and the saturation level drops, excess solute will form into crystals and sink to the bottom.
A simple purification can be done using a single solvent. Add hot solvent to the amphetamine in small amounts until it is all dissolved. Anything that will not dissolve is adulterant and should be filtered out using coffee filters or filter paper (mositen filters first to prevent them soaking up solution). Next, allow the solution to cool slowly to room temperature, then place it in the fridge and allow it to cool further. Once it has cooled in the fridge filter the crystals out and allow them to dry.
It is worth noting that some adulterant may also be soluble and form its own crystals in the process, so what you have at the end may not necessarily be pure amphetamine. This is why a dual solvent re-crystallisation is preferred.
A dual solvent re-crystallisation works by using a second solvent to dissolve many of the impurities, but that the drug itself is not soluble in. The second solvent also acts as a cleaning agent for the new crystals being formed.
In the case of amphetamines the 2 best liquids to use are acetone and alcohol. Acetone is a component of paint thinner (and nail polish remover) and can be bought from hardware stores or art supply stores. Alcohol can be obtained from hardware stores or liquor stores. Acetone is used as the 'mother' liquid, amphetamine is insoluble in acetone but most of the crap used to cut it is.
So the procedure: Put your speed into a flask, beaker or some other container you can heat on a stove (note: use a stove without a naked flame, as these volatile organic chemicals produce explosive vapours). Pour acetone into the container so that the speed is completely submerged in it with a centimetre or 2 of excess liquid and swish it around to dissolve any soluble impurities. Next gently heat the acetone until it boils, and then take it off the heat. Now slowly add (with an eyedropper or pipette) just enough alcohol for all the speed to dissolve - stirring gently until the speed dissolves. If you add too much alcohol you won't get as high a yield as possible so don't add too much. Anything that doesn't dissolve is adulterant and should be separated out by filtration: use 2 coffee filters in a funnel to filter the solution, then cover it so a little air can escape and leave to cool to room temperature. Once it has cooled down you should notice crystals starting to form. Put the container in the fridge, and then the freezer to encourage more crystals to form (i.e., increasing the yield). The slower the solution cools, the larger the dry crystals will be. Once the solution has been freezer cooled, filter the crystals out with some coffee filters, then wash the filtered out solid in the funnel with a few drops of alcohol and allow to dry. Voila, you have pure speed. Save the acetone, it can be reused.
20. HOW CAN I TURN SALT INTO FREEBASE?
Salts are the reaction of an acid and a base, so converting the salt back to freebase requires the reversing of the initial reaction, this is called an acid/base extraction. It's a fairly simple process for someone with a decent understanding of chemistry and the right equipment. There is a wealth of information online about how to do A/B extractions and any decent chemistry textbook will cover it so I won't go into too much detail here. Before attempting an A/B you should probably purify the drug first as described above.
The basic procedure involves basifying the speed with lye (sodium hydroxide/caustic soda). This is done by dissolving the speed in distilled water and mixing this with a solution of distilled water saturated with lye. This reduces the amphetamine to its freebase form which should separate from the water once it settles because it is not water soluble.
21. HISTORY
Amphetamine was first synthesised in 1887 by German chemist L. Edeleano. Originally he named it phenylisopropylamine. Methamphetamine was first synthesised in 1919 by Japanese scientist A. Ogata. However, it wasn't until the 1920's that physicians began to investigate medicinal uses for amphetamines. Around 1927 it was discovered to dilate nasal and bronchial passages, elevate blood pressure and stimulate the central nervous system.
In 1932 amphetamines debuted on the pharmaceutical market in the form of the Benzedrine inhaler, produced by Smith, Kline & French. It was sold as a treatment for nasal congestion to asthmatics and people with colds.
In 1935 it was successfully used as a treatment for narcolepsy, a medical disorder characterized by sudden and overwhelming feelings of sleepiness and fatigue.
In 1937 it was found to improve concentration and mental performance in people suffering from ADD (or ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Amphetamines were approved for sale in tablet form in 1937, by the American Medical Association. It was sold by prescription as a treatment for ADD and narcolepsy.
During World War 2 (1939-1945) amphetamine use rose rapidly, as soldiers on all sides were given tablets to help keep them awake and alert for extended periods of time. This lead to an epidemic of amphetamine use in Japan that continued throughout the 1950s.
In 1940 methamphetamine became available in tablet form, sold as Methedrine by Burroughs Wellcome. By 1942, both methamphetamine and dextro-amphetamine were widely available over the counter without a prescription, and were aggressively marketed by manufacturers as a treatment for a range of ailments from weight loss and depression, to epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and asthma.
In 1956, amphetamines were restricted from being sold without a prescription in the UK. Despite this, non-medical use of amphetamines boomed amongst the general population throughout the 50s and 60s. 'Pep pills' were taken by bored housewives and students started combining them with barbiturates in a concoction called 'purple hearts'.
Towards the end of the 60's, physicians began to seriously question the medical value of amphetamines, as the hype surrounding non-medical abuse of the drug heightened. Many believed that doctors were too quick to prescribe the drug for just about anything without fully understanding its effects.
In 1970, the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act was passed in the US, which defined a scheduling system for drugs. Injectable methamphetamine was placed in schedule II, while other amphetamines were placed in schedule III. Shortly afterwards in 1971, all amphetamines are placed in schedule II (note: the lower numbered schedules represent more tightly regulated drugs).
By the 1980's clandestine speed laboratories had become the greatest source of illicit amphetamines sold throughout the world (by FAR). Prices fell as speed became readily available on the street. Smoking amphetamines became popular, and amphetamine use continues to maintain popularity among the young people of society.
Fast forward to present day, nothing much has changed. Governments around the world struggle to curb amphetamine use, despite the 'War on Drugs' measures such as tighter controls on precursor chemicals (and glassware) vital to amphetamine synthesis, and ludicrously high penalties for manufacture or possession.
Like it or not, amphetamines are here to stay. Better to be informed than die from ignorance.
... it's not like I'm known for mincing my words or owt now, is it?
