To circumvent the laws regarding controlled drugs, a chemist attempted to synthesize a derivative of MEPERIDINE. By synthesizing a new derivative not specifically covered by the CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT and existing Drug Enforcement Agency laws and by synthesizing the drug and selling it within the same state, the chemist had hoped to profit but to avoid violation of the laws. This DESIGNER DRUG approach was being widely used to avoid prosecution for selling drugs of abuse—however, in this case a side product was also formed in this reaction, MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2.3, 6-tetrahydropyridine). People who bought this mixture on the street quickly developed a neurological syndrome virtually indistinguishable from Parkinson's disease. Initially, the cause of this problem remained unknown. With intense investigation, the blame was placed on the side product in the reaction, MPTP. MPTP had long been used as an intermediate in chemical synthesis and was commercially...