TORONTO -- Canada has announced regulations for the production and distribution of chemicals used to make methamphetamines, a step sought by U.S. drug authorities.

The regulations published Oct. 9 in the Government Gazette require people who produce, import and export ephedrine and pseudoephedrine -- precursors for methamphetamines -- to have licenses and permits beginning Jan. 7, 2003.

"If its coming in or going out or being produced, there will be a paper trail to follow that," Andrew Swift, a spokesman for the federal health department, said Thursday.