Our case, as Tito put it: "I feel methamphetamines are aboriginal too". The question before the court is whether the stimulant behind methamphetamine, ephedrine, comes from this land's own desert medicine, the ephedra teas.
Background
Ephedra is a desert plant; ephedra teas such as Mormon tea and Navajo tea are made from the American kinds. Ephedrine is a stimulant compound, one of the 'ephedrine alkaloids' found in some ephedra plants. Methamphetamine (meth) is a strong stimulant drug made from ephedrine. Ephedra sinica is an Asian kind of ephedra. A published review is a scientific article that sums up many studies. This card belongs to the Plant medicine line (Nov 12, 2026).
Our evidence
Exhibit A · Record: Ephedra teas: our desert medicineEphedra teas (Mormon tea, Navajo tea) are an old desert medicine of this land.
Exhibit B · Record: Where meth was first madeMethamphetamine was first made in Japan in 1893 by Nagai Nagayoshi from ephedrine taken from the Asian plant Ephedra sinica.
Exhibit C · Record: The other sidePublished reviews say the American ephedras lack ephedrine alkaloids (Evergreen plant chemistry review; Caveney et al., American Journal of Botany, 2001). If that holds, the American teas are not the source of meth's ephedrine.
Exhibit D · Open: What would settle itWhat would settle it is fresh tests of American ephedras, and of residues in old vessels, for ephedrine-type stimulants. Needs deep research, not a 'no.'
Case open
The record shows ephedra teas are an old medicine of this land, and that meth was first made from the Asian Ephedra sinica. Published reviews say the American ephedras lack ephedrine alkaloids, so the claim does not stand on the record yet. It stays Open until fresh tests are run, not closed with a 'no.'
Next exhibit: Fresh tests of American ephedras, and of residues in old vessels, for ephedrine-type stimulants.
The original card
SUMMARYMeth and the ephedra question (Nov 12, 2026; Plant medicine line; Tito: "I feel methamphetamines are aboriginal too"). OPEN
RECORDephedra teas (Mormon tea, Navajo tea) are an old desert medicine of this land
RECORDmethamphetamine was first made in Japan in 1893 by Nagai Nagayoshi from ephedrine taken from the Asian plant Ephedra sinica. RECORD, the other side: published reviews say the American ephedras lack ephedrine alkaloids (Evergreen plant chemistry review; Caveney et al., American Journal of Botany, 2001)
OPENwhat would settle it is fresh tests of American ephedras and of residues in old vessels for ephedrine-type stimulants. Needs deep research, not a "no."