Posted on 10/26/2021 3:41:49 PM PDT by daniel1212
Nine years ago, you could have walked into a shop on the UK high street and bought a packet of cold medicine that contained the decongestant pseudoephedrine. This drug has been used for decades, and works well, but in 2008 it was placed under tight controls when it became apparent that pseudoephedrine was being used for the illegal production of methamphetamine. Similar laws were introduced in the US in 2005.
Since then, pseudoephedrine has broadly been banished from shop shelves in the UK, the US and elsewhere. Today, you can only get products containing this compound either by obtaining a prescription, or asking a pharmacist for a packet from behind the counter [with a valid I.D. and electronic signature].
Drug companies have responded to the regulations by replacing the compound with phenylephrine, which has long been known to be far less effective. Confusingly, popular cold remedy Sudafed – which takes its name from pseudoephedrine – now comes in two forms: a shop version, containing phenylephrine, and a behind-the-counter pseudoephedrine version.
(Excerpt) Read more at newscientist.com ...
So we are spoiled by effective drugs and complain when restricted. At 69 I am recovering (last stage, 6 days) from the first cold I have had in about 2 years (sore throat, then headache, then with running nose, fatigue) and found Day Quil about useless for the sinus situation, while Sudafed PE (phenylephrine, not the restricted pseudoephedrine version) provided some relief from the running nose.
Headache and running nose now gone, thank God. Better off for it. And no, I am not vaxxed for flu or Covid. .
I use real ephedrine from nature.
Walfed is pharmacy counter version of REAL Actifed. The Walgreens will NOT give it to you with a U.S. Passport as I.D. because there is no address, state ID only. Struck me as strange.
The stuff is magic for me - about this time of the year, I’ll start dropping by the pharm and purchasing whatever is allowed at whatever the interval is this week. It’s the only way to have a reasonable stockpile on hand for ACTUAL USE to alleviate cold symptoms.
When one of the kids was out-of-state in college, I used to have to send care packages of the stuff since that state was hyper-restrictive and they couldn’t purchase it there with an out-of-state drivers license. smh.
I use an old med as a decongestant: Chloe trimeton
Cheap too
WalAct.
Pseudoephedrine and tripolidine. There are plenty of anti-histamines that work, but the pseudoephedrine is the only stuff I’ve found that actually works.
And the policy is an abject failure, if the street price of meth is any guide.
What source?
I took a Sudafed once years ago when it was real and I did not like the way it made me feel.
But you should know that aside from prescriptions, purchases are recorded and reported to law enforcement who examine them for suspicious activity, and you are not to share it with others. Buy too much Sudafed and you may get a visit from a cop
Back in the day, my dive buddies all called it “SCUBAfed” and we all took it at the slightest hint of sinus congestion. Sinus congestion and SCUBA do NOT go well together and can ruin a dive or vacation and cause significant damage, not to mention intense pain. Other drugs just don’t work as well.
Thanks for the tip. I actually try to stay away from drugs, but a nose like a dripping faucet leaves one considering such.
Ghost meds ?
Well, the pseudoephedrine is a stimulant, though mild compared to actual amphetamines. If you take too much though, you can get heart palpitations and such.
I worked in an organic chemistry research lab back in the 70s. All those illegal drugs are SO easy to make! The precursor bans are completely silly — I’m surprised water isn’t banned.
The only intentionally illegal product to come out of our lab was some really, really good booze. 100% ethyl alcohol. No headache, no bad taste. We made gallons of it. Distilled it with essentials from the soxhlet extractors.... Mm mm MM! The “doctor” running the lab was supplying elites during prohibition. There was always a bench set up with the special apparatus. We were always very popular going in to the Christmas season.
The lab is now a gentrifying row of condos....
What exactly is “high street “ ?
The state I’m in actually tracks on your drivers license. They won’t let you purchase anymore than a given amount in a given time frame.
If you have more than a couple of people in the house sharing a cold - you’re screwed since their purchasing algorithm would require each person to go purchase their OWN supply.
Their policies actually incentivize hoarding.
It was worth it since the supply of meth is near zero and meth addiction is a thing of the past.
(do I really need the /s?)
the main street of a village where shops are located, or the main street in a shopping district in town
Fun fact: there’s a scientific paper circulating, explaining how to make pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) from meth.
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