sodium-permanganate and Amphetamine-Related-Disorders

In December 2006 the United States regulated sodium permanganate, a cocaine essential chemical. In March 2007 Mexico, the United States' primary source for methamphetamine, closed a chemical company accused of illicitly importing 60+ tons of pseudoephedrine, a methamphetamine precursor chemical. US cocaine availability and methamphetamine availability, respectively, decreased in association. This study tested whether the controls had impacts upon the numbers of US cocaine users and methamphetamine users.. Auto-regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) intervention time-series analysis. Comparison series-heroin and marijuana users-were used.. United States, 2002-14.. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (n = 723 283), a complex sample survey of the US civilian, non-institutionalized population.. Estimates of the numbers of (1) past-year users and (2) past-month users were constructed for each calendar quarter from 2002 to 2014, providing each series with 52 time-periods.. Downward shifts in cocaine users started at the time of the cocaine regulation. Past-year and past-month cocaine users series levels decreased by approximately 1 946 271 (-32%) (P < 0.05) and 694 770 (-29%) (P < 0.01), respectively-no apparent recovery occurred through 2014. Downward shifts in methamphetamine users started at the time of the chemical company closure. Past-year and past-month methamphetamine series levels decreased by 494 440 (-35%) [P < 0.01; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -771 897, -216 982] and 277 380 (-45%) (P < 0.05; CI = -554 073, -686), respectively-partial recovery possibly occurred in 2013. The comparison series changed little at the intervention times.. Essential/precursor chemical controls in the United States (2006) and Mexico (2007) were associated with large, extended (7+ years) reductions in cocaine users and methamphetamine users in the United States.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Amphetamine-Related Disorders; Central Nervous System Stimulants; Child; Cocaine; Cocaine-Related Disorders; Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; Drug and Narcotic Control; Drug Industry; Heroin Dependence; Humans; International Cooperation; Legislation, Drug; Methamphetamine; Mexico; Middle Aged; Pseudoephedrine; Sodium Compounds; United States; Young Adult

Research shows that essential/precursor chemical controls have had substantial impacts on US methamphetamine and heroin availability. This study examines whether US federal essential chemical regulations have impacted US cocaine seizure amount, price and purity-indicators of cocaine availability.. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA)-intervention time-series analysis was used to assess the impacts of four US regulations targeting cocaine manufacturing chemicals: potassium permanganate/selected solvents, implemented October 1989 sulfuric acid/hydrochloric acid, implemented October 1992; methyl isobutyl ketone, implemented May 1995; and sodium permanganate, implemented December 2006. Of these chemicals, potassium permanganate and sodium permanganate are the most critical to cocaine production.. Conterminous United States (January 1987-April 2011).. Monthly time-series: purity-adjusted cocaine seizure amount (in gross weight seizures < 6000 grams), purity-adjusted price (all available seizures), and purity (all available seizures).. System to Retrieve Information from Drug Evidence.. The 1989 potassium permanganate/solvents regulation was associated with a seizure amount decrease (change in series level) of 28% (P < 0.05), a 36% increase in price (P < 0.05) and a 4% decrease in purity (P < 0.05). Availability recovered in 1-2 years. The 2006 potassium permanganate regulation was associated with a 22% seizure amount decrease (P < 0.05), 100% price increase (P < 0.05) and 35% purity decrease (P < 0.05). Following the 2006 regulation, essentially no recovery occurred to April 2011. The other two chemical regulations were associated with statistically significant but lesser declines in indicated availability.. In the United States, essential chemical controls from 1989 to 2006 were associated with pronounced downturns in cocaine availability.

Topics: Amphetamine-Related Disorders; Central Nervous System Stimulants; Cocaine; Drug and Narcotic Control; Humans; Hydrochloric Acid; Methyl n-Butyl Ketone; Potassium Permanganate; Sodium Compounds; Sulfuric Acids; United States