From a strictly scientific/chemical point of view, I’ve often wondered what actually goes on inside a “meth lab”. This article explains all, and provides enough info to roll your own. Obviously this is something you should not try at home.

http://sbillinghurst.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/pseudoephedrine-acetate/

The essential components are:

  • Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed cold tablets)
  • Red phosphorus (road flares)
  • Iodine (medical antiseptic)

Also required:

  • NaOH (cleaning product)
  • HCl (pool/cleaning) or Glacial acetic (cleaning product)
  • Trichloroethylene (brake cleaner)

For the chemists out there, this makes fascinating reading. Essentially, cooking the first 3 ingredients for 12-24 hours makes the meth, and all the other steps are routine purification and extraction. No wonder the stuff is so easy to come by.