Posted on 07/20/2005 4:11:02 PM PDT by arbusto99
SALEM, Ore. - Oregon would become the first state to require a doctor's prescription for many types of cold medicines under a bill overwhelmingly passed Wednesday by the House. The bill is part of the Legislature's attack on methamphetamine.
Backers of the bill say such drastic steps are needed to help curb availability of ingredients used to make a drug that is ruining lives.
Supporters expect the measure to pass in the Senate, and it is supported by Governor Kulongoski.
The bill would require prescriptions by mid-2006 for medicines containing pseudoephedrine and two similar substances.
Those products are required to be sold only in pharmacies and behind the counter, with identification required.
Opponents of the prescription requirement say it is too radical and the public will not support the move.
This is "feel good" legislation. It will create a brand new underground market for this medicine. Stupid.
I was wondering the same thing. Does this mean I have to go to my doctor and pay a copay to get the perscription? My $5 cold tylenol now costs me $20 or more plus whatever my insurance company pays the Dr? This should help keep healthcare costs under control.
hippies.......
If doctors cannot be trusted to prescribe medical marijuana, how can we trust them with Nyquil?
While they may have good intentions, I find this getting to be absurd.
This is absolutely the biggest waste of physician's time and patient's time I have heard about in a long while (and there are ALOT). Legislatures cannot think of anything that will work to stop Meth use, but think they must do 'something'...This will only shift the costs to insurance, patients, physician offices and pharmacies instead of equipping law enforcement and courts with needed support.
Not to mention the hassle of making an appointment, going to the dr., getting in line at the pharmacy, etc., when all you want is to make a 5 minute drive to the store to buy some freakin' Nyquill! Gah! This is one of the lamest bills I've ever heard of.
Maybe doctors will start leaving OR and go to states that aren't so stupid..yet.
Not to mention emergency rooms and urgent care facilities during cold season, when everyone will arrive needing a prescription, thus swamping the ability of those places to treat people with actual, you know, emergencies.
yeah...I hadn't even thought about the trickle down with patients who could not contact their primary doc...this will implode and most likely be recinded???it is Oregon, though.
Washington will be getting my drug business from now on.
Patients who can't contact their primary doc...or people without health insurance. Mark my words, this is going to SWAMP the ER during peak season for flu and colds.
This is stupid on many levels. Just a few months ago the state voted to move those products behind the counter at the pharmacy, so that you have to use an ID to get it. That's ok, but this is going too far--and they didn't even bother to find out if the earlier policy is doing any good. They are so desperate to "look like they're doing something" that they jump in and do this. Unreal.
Why don't they just go after the meth labs and leave the sneezing public alone? Are the police are too busy collecting revenue at speed trap ambushes?
How long before a war on fat leads to sugar, butter, and flour rationing? You could make an evil rich dessert with those ingredients.
It won't be long before the rest of the lemming nation follows suit.
Now only kids in playgrounds will be able to get cold medicine.
Yeah, forget Tijuana, watch for the next big pharmaceutical hotspot: Vancouver, Wash.
Amazing just how brain-dead these fools are.
Doesn't HIPAA block a pharmacist from discussing a clients prescription with the police??? How will abusers be identified if they are paying cash for a generic at multiple pharmacies with scripts from multiple docs???
STUPID STUPID STUPID.
Let's make healthcare even less convenient and more costly!!!
It must be in the water in Salem, 'cuz SOME folks in Eugene are sharp as hell.
Uh, a big PS to the pinheads in Salem: THE METH TRAIL LEADS TO MEXICO, NOT THE RITE-AID PHARMACY IN LINCOLN CITY. DO SOMETHING ABOUT PROTECTING US FROM THE DRUG RUNNERS FROM MEXICO!!! AND MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, YOU COULD ID AND EXPEL THE ILLEGALS, WHO ARE BANKRUPTING OUR STATE!!!!!!!!
Great - $35.00 to get a doctor to write the prescription if you don't have insurance. If you do, the insurance costs start going up for all the doctor visits.
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