If things were that dire, you might have a point, but they're not. Are you really trying to assert that the anthrax attacks are going to be so widespread that "all" the good guys will die? *snort*
At absolute worst, 1% of the American population would even be remotely exposed to anthrax. And that would take some *major* initiatives by *thousands* of terrorists, working in ways that we would have to be enormously incompetent to allow happen (like ignoring cropdusters flying over downtown areas for hours at a time).
The 99% of the population stockpiling (and/or taking) antibiotics without real need is draining the supplies of antibiotics, which will result in them being unavailable to the few people who *are* actually exposed.
It's the height of dangerous, callous selfishness. It's saying, "I'm going to get some in case I *might* need it, to hell with the people who actually *do* need it."
I haven't tried to get Cipro but I have inquired about a Youth Gas Mask for my child.
For god's sake, *why*?
Are you going to have your child wear it ALL THE TIME?
If not, then by the time you get word that your area is under biological/chemical attack (which it most likely never will be), then it will almost certainly already be too late for your child to be saved by donning a mask.
Then if you do get it on in time, just how likely is it to protect you until the danger disperses, or you manage to get out of the affected areas (good luck with that, the roads will be gridlocked).
Finally, most "gas masks" being sold to capitalize on this scare are inadequate for the task -- either the filters are unable to deal with the actual threats being faced (filters don't do squat for poisonous gasses, for example), or the seals around the face leak like a sieve.
So really, what's the point?
If you're all that scared about the possibility, it would be far more effective to just relocate to somewhere out in the boonies, someplace where a terrorist would never bother wasting valuable biochem warfare agents on.
Am I to believe that Cipro will be available when I need it? We already know we don't have nearly enough.
If idiots who don't actually need it will stop stockpiling it, yes, it'll be available when you need it. Thus my point.