UKC

It seems to be a common enough thing that people take MDMA, at least in the circles I've frequented, so I thought this was worth a share. It may be that the environmental (or ethical) footprint of drugs possibly isn't something which comes to mind for some people. 

https://www.treehugger.com/corporate-responsibility/ecstasy-mdma-threatens-...

Cheers for the recipe, unfortunately the article doesn't say how you can get hold of seeds or cuttings. I don't imagine they'll be found in the local garden centre. Any ideas?

I'm on location.  If you can give me directions I'll commandeer a tuktuk and get chopping.

Phnum Samkoh has much bigger things to fear than the production of E.  And if anything this is simply further justification to legalise the bloody stuff so it can be produced in a sustainable, rather than covert, manner.

That's my point of view as well. Anything has to be better than drugs providing income for criminal gangs, which there is always the potential for when it's illegal. It can mean people know what they're buying, too, hopefully making it safer to take.

I've never known of anyone who has taken it, let alone commonly

Hence 'at least in the circles I've frequented', to allow for experiences such as your own.

I've never taken by the way. 

I must confess now , this does concern me some what . 

They better have some cuttings tucked away somewhere or there could be a few tears shed . 

I must confess now , this does concern me some what . 

They better have some cuttings tucked away somewhere or there could be a few tears shed . 

Probably less a result of people you know not having taken it and more a case of no one wanting to admit to it

Spent all night reading how to make MDMA. Seams a fair bit harder than I was expecting and I don't fancy my chances. In anycase it's not a particularly rare and expensive commodity around these parts!

this is the old way MDMA precursor was made- its no longer necessary  to chop up trees to get it, its synthesised now apparently

Many ways to skin a cat...I believe it is the controlled precursor compound called safrole (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safrole) they are after. It's probably the most economic starting point, at least in that part of the world. Also found in star anise, nutmeg, cinnamon etc, just two steps are needed to get a delightful certain molecule - oxidation of the double bond to give an aldehyde, followed by reductive amination.

I was wondering about that. Got any links?

Google is your friend. The chemist who 're-discovered' it wrote a book on said molecule and a range of derivatives; the 'recipes' are described within - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PiHKAL.

That article is several years out of date. Just after the time it was published there was a clampdown on the export of Safrole which resulted in a drought of MDMA for a year or two.

Then the chemists turned to a new precursor and synthesis method which does not require the Safrole from that tree to make MDMA and now the market in Europe especially is flooded with cheap and high quality MDMA much more so than before the drought. 

Basically it's a non-story. 

https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/nnq88q/uk-this-is-whats-actually-in-your...

They use PMK glycidate now not Safrole oil

Did you go to university in the late 90s? Have you ever been into any music scene dominated by young people - teenagers/20s? Been to any reasonably large parties or festivals at that age?

I'm not sure how I could have avoided coming into regular contact with MDMA in my teens and 20s! I could have chosen not to take it of course, but I'm glad I did.

The OP should check his article's publication date, for starters, before posting.  His is just shy of nine years old!

Yes - well mid 90s

No.

It’s odd. There are whole sectors of society I have no contact with. Horse-racing is one. Drugs another. I guess this is true of most people, but I think it’s as well to be aware of this and not assume, for example, everyone is taking drugs. It is perhaps quite a limited group.

Does your username refer to a high level of skill at winter climbing, or to your domination of the methamphetamine market? 

I studied physics at Edinburgh University in the late 90s. A "squarer", more nerdy bunch of people you could not hope to meet. But if you got to know your classmates, you'd soon find out that a large proportion of them popped pills every now and then (or indeed every weekend). I can't imagine what type of university group wouldn't be similar. 

Well, I started with physics...at Edinburgh. But then became an engineer. I might have met you!

I hardly know anyone who hasn't and I include family members across the generations and many of my employees. Equally I'm aware of great swathes of the population who are alarmed at the mere mention. Different worlds.

Aye - but I'm surprised that a contemporary at Edinburgh University managed to somehow trace a path that wasn't littered with spliff butts, bongs and baggies containing little pills with naff logos.

Even at my advanced age I still enjoy a good Ecky a couple of times a year, just for the fun of it.

He must have got a first.

Ah ha! When you invited me out for pint, I wondered what had got into you. Now I know it was 120mg of MDMA!

Yep, best cut down on your MDMA use.

Well there's no chance of it being you