Is Methamphetamine Illegal?

You bet. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule II drugs, which also include cocaine and PCP, have a high potential for abuse. 

In 1988 Congress passed the Chemical Diversion and Trafficking Act of 1988(Public Law 100-690) which substantially restricted activities involving chemicals used in the production of controlled substances. The Domestic Chemical Diversion Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-200) limited transactions involving ephedrine even if the ephedrine was contained in a drug being marketed legally under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. In 1996  the Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-237) posed new restrictions on pseudoephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, iodine and hydrochloric gas while increasing the penalties for violations involving restricted chemicals.

Federal law has attempted to impose legal barriers to prevent the manufacture of methamphetamine by increasing criminal penalties and restricting the availability of certain chemicals necessary to manufacture methamphetamine . Several states have discussed the option of enhancing federal legislation with state law further increasing legal penalties and restricting certain chemicals. 

West Virginia has a new law concerning methamphetamine manufacture. Senate Bill No. 354, passed March 8, 2003, is designed to more clearly define the charges police can file against someone caught making methamphetamine and includes a  two - to - ten year prison sentence or a fine of not less than five thousand dollars no more than twenty-five thousand dollars for anyone convicted of operating a meth producing lab. The law is set to take effect in West Virginia in June, 2003.