Safrole and Sassfras Oil are Used in the Illicit Manufacture of MDMA

Safrole and Sassfras Oil are Used in the Illicit Manufacture of MDMA 

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and state/local law enforcement authorities throughout the United States have noted an alarming trend involving illicit MDMA production. MDMA (Ecstasy) is a major drug problem in the United States. All businesses engaged in the sale of safrole and essential oils rich in safrole, such as, sassafras oil, brown camphor oil or camphor oil 1.070, also referred to as Chinese sassafras oil, should be aware of the use of these products by clandestine MDMA laboratory operators. 

Criminal elements routinely use these List I chemicals in the illicit production of MDMA. DEA is aware that these criminals are searching, often over the Internet, for sources of supply for these List I chemicals. 

Safrol also occurs in (Piper hispidinervum) Rocha 1999 

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