You have been redirected to your local version of the requested page

Real World Raman: Mira DS in Action – Detecting drugs safely in the field

Nov 16, 2020

Article

This article is Part 1 of a series.

Go to

Part 2

Methamphetamine (also known as meth, Figure 1) abuse is one of the top drug problems impacting the social, economic, and health welfare of many developed and developing countries. Short-term use of meth, a powerful stimulant, provides a euphoric sense of alertness and enhanced capability for work-related activities. Chronic use inevitably leads to addiction, antisocial and sometimes violent criminal behavior, and a pronounced decline in the overall health and well-being of the user.

2020/11/16/mira-ds-meth/2
Figure 1. Methamphetamine crystals.

The proliferation and use of meth across the US, Asia, and Europe is aided by underground «kitchen» laboratories, which are the primary source of clandestine meth production and distribution.

Meth can be easily synthesized from pseudoephedrine extracted from over-the-counter cold medications (Figure 2) and easily purchased commercial products enriched in required reagents.