Methamphetamine (meth) is a stimulant. The FDA-approved brand-name medication is Desoxyn®.
Mexican drug trafficking organizations have become the primary manufacturers and distributors of methamphetamine to cities throughout the United States.
Domestic clandestine laboratory operators also produce and distribute meth but usually on a smaller scale. The methods used depend on the availability of
precursor chemicals. Currently, this domestic clandestinely produced meth is mainly made with diverted products that contain pseudoephedrine. Mexican methamphetamine is made with different precursor chemicals.
The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 requires retailers of non-prescription products containing pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine to place these products behind the counter or in a locked cabinet.
Cocaine and potent stimulant pharmaceuticals, such as amphetamines and methylphenidate, produce similar effects.
Methamphetamine is a Schedule II stimulant under the Controlled Substances Act, which means that it has a high potential for abuse and a currently accepted medical use (in FDA-approved products). It is available only through a prescription that cannot be refilled. Today there is only one legal meth product, Desoxyn®.