From: Steve Harris <sbharris@ix.netcom.com>
Newsgroups: sci.chem,talk.politics.drugs,talk.politics.libertarian,
	sci.med.pharmacy
Subject: The War On Mannitol: Frontline Reporting From A New Conscript
Date: 14 Jul 2005 18:10:10 -0700
Message-ID: <1121389809.963912.113650@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>

To: Spectrum Chemical
755 Jersey Avenue, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901
Date: July 14, 2005
Subject: My Laboratory's Use For the DEA Monitored Substance Mannitol

Sirs:

I am informed that due to new regulations which proliferate by the day,
that a research company now needs a DEA license to purchase mannitol, a
simple sugar like glucose.  And that one also needs to provide a letter
of intended use for mannitol. This is (so I'm told) due to the fact
that mannitol has been used by criminals to dilute illegal drugs, in a
manner similar to the way that (powdered) confectioner's sugar may be
used.  Perhaps the intent of the new laws is force the use of powdered
sugars that produce a sweeter street drug mix?

I am informed that we need to provide you with a letter of our intended
use for this easily-diverted and insidious sugar.  Therefore, please be
informed that we do not intend to use mannitol to dilute illegal drugs,
but rather intend to use it mainly to dilute legal drugs. We are a
pharmaceutical research laboratory, where development of legal drugs
and combinations of legal drugs, is our legitimate business. All of the
drugs we have on our premises are legal, since that is what our various
DEA licenses are for.  Attached is a copy of our laboratory DEA
license, as per your request.  (As a physician, I hold a separate DEA
license, as does our DVM vet.)

As for more specific uses for mannitol, we do not yet know many of the
ones we will be employing, because we have not invented them yet.  As
for the one that we have invented already, I am sorry that it is still
proprietary.

If in the future, you should need similar letters for our intended use
of lactose, inositol, maltose, mannose, xylitol, fructose, sucrose, and
even sodium chloride and water, any of which can be used to mix with
illegal drugs, be advised that we plan to use them generally to mix
with legal drugs. Perhaps this letter will serve as a general
introduction to this idea for your company.  If not, I can use the
word-processor to alter this same letter in the future, but with a new
sugar or white powder inserted in the space for "mannitol."  This would
be an example of how the power of the computer is being increasingly
used to prosecute the war on illegal drugs, which we are (as you know)
winning with the help of companies such as yourselves.  I too am proud
to play an integral part in this exciting and useful enterprise!

Respectfully,


Steven B. Harris, M.D.
Director of Research

From: Steve Harris <sbharris@ix.netcom.com>
Newsgroups: sci.chem,talk.politics.drugs,talk.politics.libertarian,
	sci.med.pharmacy
Subject: Re: The War On Mannitol: Frontline Reporting From A New Conscript
Date: 14 Jul 2005 20:43:34 -0700
Message-ID: <1121399014.368588.148530@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>

muha wrote:
> Your irate tirade will not help. Chemists in US have this problem all
> the time and taking it on the chemical supplier gets you nowhere. Write
> to your congressman.


COMMENT:

Of course I will. I'm under no illusion that the letter to the supplier
will do anything THERE but generate a shrug. It merely provides the
starting material for protest in other venues. My congresscritters are
one. Right here is another. You do what you can, with what you've got,
where you are.

SBH

From: Steve Harris <sbharris@ix.netcom.com>
Newsgroups: sci.chem,talk.politics.drugs,talk.politics.libertarian,
	sci.med.pharmacy
Subject: Re: The War On Mannitol: Frontline Reporting From A New Conscript
Date: 14 Jul 2005 21:04:16 -0700
Message-ID: <1121400256.450448.249860@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>

muha wrote:

> Benzyl chloride or thionyl chloride purchase will always triger DEA
> meth precursor bulshit. You have to fax letters and explain, your
> purchasing people will get creeps and your boss will ask you if you
> *realy* need these chemicals. So does purchase of methylamine in
> quantity of 1L of a solution.


I KNOW all this by experience.  It's just that when it comes to
*sugar,* it's finally gone WAY too far. Maybe EVEN a politician will be
able to get it.


> The chemical companies would happily sell you a trainload of ephedrine
> or piperonylacetone without asking questions (if it was not for the
> regulatory requirements). They just cover their asses because they are
> vulnerable - they have to prove that they are not assisting garage
> chemists. So have mercy on them and instead write to people in congress
> (about how the overzealous drug legislature hurts your business).


Yep.

SBH