Illegal stimulant upgraded to type-1 drug

       The Food and Drug Administration has reclassified the illicit stimulant dimethylamphetamine a type-1 drug in an effort to arrest its growing popularity.
       The stimulant is related to methamphetamine but has a reduced effect.
       The addictive drug was previously classified a type-2 drug, which carried a jail sentence of up to 20 years under the Narcotics Act for anyone caught smuggling it. The smuggling of type-1 drugs carries the death penalty.
       The FDA has upgraded the classification of dimethylamphetamine to match methamphetamine, mainly due to the increase in smuggling of the drug.
       The suggestion to elevate its classification to type-1 was made by the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, FDA secretary-general Pipat Yingseree said.
       "We have to keep seeking ways to stamp out new trends in the smuggling of drugs," he said.
       "Drug dealers were switching from trading in methamphetamine to dimethylamphetamine mainly because of the lenient penalties."
       Mr Pipat said the drug's mild effect,compared with methamphetamine, also enabled dealers to sell more.
       Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai has approved a ministerial regulation classifying dimethylamphetamine as a type-1 drug.
       Its enforcement is expected to take effect within 180 days after its publication in the Royal Gazette, he said.
       Kobkul Chantavaro, an adviser to the ONCB, said traces of dimethylamphetamine have occasionally been found in ice, or crystal methamphetamine.