Your County Government Community
Services
Healthy
Kids & Families
Business
Resources
Environment Public Safety Jobs

Environmental Health

About Us
Doing Business
Food
HazMat
Housing
Pests
Waste
Water

Related Links

County of San Diego Meth Strikeforce
County of San Diego Sheriffs Department
US Drug Enforcement Administration
Office of National Drug Control Policy
The Anti-Meth Site
National Institute on Drug Abuse
NoMeth.org

Methamphetamines

Printer Friendly
Font Size Extra Large Font Size Large Font Size Default
Methamphetamine Sample

Methamphetamine is also known as "speed, crank, ice or crystal"  and it is a powerful stimulant.  It can be smoked, snorted, injected or ingested. Its color can vary from white to slightly yellow in powder or crystal form.  The key ingredient in Meth is the chemical ephedrine which is usually extracted from cold medications in the clandestine lab.

Methamphetamine Labs in San Diego County

A Meth lab is where the methamphetamine is "cooked."  These labs are usually set up in houses, apartments, motels, vehicles and sometimes boats.  The process involves the use of restricted chemicals such as iodine, red phosphorous and various solvents and acids. 

Clandestine laboratories can be found in any location: from high density residential neighborhoods to sparsely populated rural areas; they can even be found in the remote desert.  In recent years, there has been a decrease in the number of Meth labs found in California and an increase in the number of Meth labs in Mexico, just south of the border. Rural areas in the Central Valley are the source of a great percentage of the Meth that is produced in California.

Methamphetamine Precursors

Although there are a different number of procedures used to make Meth, the precursors do not change much.  A partial list of precursors is listed below. Click on each name for additional information. 

Sodium HydroxideColeman FuelEphedrineIodine
Hydrochloric Acid GasRed PhosphorusMethanolAmmonia

Other Methamphetamine Information

Site Assessment and Mitigation Methamphetamine Program

HIRT Team

 Meth FAQs

HMD Topics

Property Owners Information  

Meth Certified Contractors 

 Meth PSA Guidelines