I read with interest the recent Public Health piece on methamphetamine hydrochloride (crystal meth).1 Two subsequent articles on the same topic provided more details, but there were no comments on prevention programs or on limiting production of this drug.2,3

I had a distinct sense of deja vu. Forty-five years ago, I reported in CMAJ the first North American case of addiction to diethylpropion.4 This drug is chemically distinct from amphetamines, but the symptoms resulting from abuse are identical to those described by Buxton and Dove.1 The only difference is one of degree.

[continues 169 words]