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> I find it ridiculous that you cannot buy pseudoephedrine without the pharmacy checking whether you've purchased any quantity of the OTC medicine in any other

by pwg 6y ago

> I find it ridiculous that you cannot buy pseudoephedrine without the pharmacy checking whether you've purchased any quantity of the OTC medicine in any other state via a inter-agency, multi-state networked solution Not defending the practice, but the supposed reason for this is because pseudoephedrine can be used in cooking methamphetamine [1], and supposedly the 'cooks' had mules going around buying up stock everywhere to use in their labs. The 'check' was supposedly to catch the mules buying large quantities across plural pharmacies/states to use in the cook's labs. Sadly the unintended consequence is every time one has a head cold and buys original formula Sudafed, some government tracking database somewhere knows one bought that product. [1] https://www.chpa.org/Meth.aspx https://www.chpa.org/Meth.aspx

briffle 6y ago
In the state of Oregon, you can't get the 'real' stuff without a prescription. So you get to pay for a Dr visit, to get decent cough medicine. Or you stock up when you are near Washington. :-)
- Reelin 6y ago
  Or you could purchase meth (easy to come by, as with the majority of illegal substances) and do the reverse synthesis in your kitchen? /s https://web.archive.org/web/20120301155008/https://heterodoxy.cc/meowdocs/pseudo/pseudosynth.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20120301155008/https://heterodox...
pbhjpbhj 6y ago
In the UK they seemingly just removed all the active ingredient. I couldn't understand how it wasn't working for me, Sudafed had been an almost miraculous way to clear a head cold (mucus blocked sinuses); then it just didn't work anymore. Of course they put caffeine in to try and make it feel like it was working ... Recently, after careful analysis I found they do still make it (or they make it again), but it was a definite bait-and-switch.
- pnw_hazor 6y ago
  One of the common pseudophedrine OTC replacements seems to be ineffective for alleviating nasal congestion. Phenylephrine Is No More Effective Than Placebo for Nasal Congestion https://www.jwatch.org/na39054/2015/09/17/phenylephrine-no-more-effective-placebo-nasal-congestion https://www.jwatch.org/na39054/2015/09/17/phenylephrine-no-m...
  - timcederman 6y ago
    When ingested. It's a topical medication, it's ridiculous they put it in a tablet. Get the phenylephrine in a spray and it works like magic.
smogcutter 6y ago
I think parent understands this, and is comparing the controls around pseudo vs the inefficiency of the unemployment system. It’s just the conversation swerved to everyone checking in about whether their doctor can call in their adderall prescription. The difference here is that one system has federal “war on drugs” muscle behind it, and the other... very much doesn’t.

by pwg 6y ago

briffle 6y ago

In the state of Oregon, you can't get the 'real' stuff without a prescription. So you get to pay for a Dr visit, to get decent cough medicine. Or you stock up when you are near Washington. :-)

Reelin 6y ago
Or you could purchase meth (easy to come by, as with the majority of illegal substances) and do the reverse synthesis in your kitchen? /s https://web.archive.org/web/20120301155008/https://heterodoxy.cc/meowdocs/pseudo/pseudosynth.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20120301155008/https://heterodox...

pbhjpbhj 6y ago

In the UK they seemingly just removed all the active ingredient. I couldn't understand how it wasn't working for me, Sudafed had been an almost miraculous way to clear a head cold (mucus blocked sinuses); then it just didn't work anymore. Of course they put caffeine in to try and make it feel like it was working ... Recently, after careful analysis I found they do still make it (or they make it again), but it was a definite bait-and-switch.

pnw_hazor 6y ago
One of the common pseudophedrine OTC replacements seems to be ineffective for alleviating nasal congestion. Phenylephrine Is No More Effective Than Placebo for Nasal Congestion https://www.jwatch.org/na39054/2015/09/17/phenylephrine-no-more-effective-placebo-nasal-congestion https://www.jwatch.org/na39054/2015/09/17/phenylephrine-no-m...
- timcederman 6y ago
  When ingested. It's a topical medication, it's ridiculous they put it in a tablet. Get the phenylephrine in a spray and it works like magic.

smogcutter 6y ago

I think parent understands this, and is comparing the controls around pseudo vs the inefficiency of the unemployment system. It’s just the conversation swerved to everyone checking in about whether their doctor can call in their adderall prescription. The difference here is that one system has federal “war on drugs” muscle behind it, and the other... very much doesn’t.