[Republicus2001]

After enjoying a tasty glass of sassparilla (sp?) at an old-fashioned type soda fountain in old town San Jose, Calif., I inquired on a listserv where one could find a recipe for the sody pop - only to learn that the main ingredient - sassafrass is on the U.S. list of controlled substances

[45Auto]

Yes, because the pure substance which gives sassafrass its distinctive odor and flavor is a chemical known as safrole - a methylenedioxy phenyl propene which can be converted to MDMA - ecstacy.