Stimulants taste like paint thinner

[4DQSAR]

during salting hydrochloric acid gas is bubbled through the solution causing conversion of the amphetamine base oil to a solid salt as it precipitates and crystallizes out of solution. there can also be another recrystallization step after also usually in a mix of polar/nonpolar solvents so again if not dried properly solvent can remain.

What you are supposed to do is to vacuum distill off all the solvent then add sufficient ethanol to 'wet' the product and vacuum distill again.

I mean, that's how most low MW basic (amine containing) medicines are prepared.

But I think we can all imagine that the extra wetting and distilling is going to take more time and more effort and you will get slightly less (but purer) product.

With street drugs, the only QC is 'what the market will accept'. Hence all manner of shite being in the stuff.

I always tell people that if they REALLY want to stop taking street drugs - go find some images of labs. Breaking Bad is laughably wrong. Of course pictures don't give you the odours which range from choking to sickening to downright odd. But never good.