My girlfriend is getting sick, which means I'll probably be getting sick soon too. At any rate, she had asked me to pick up some cold medication to help alleviate the symptoms. I was warned that I will need to bring ID and I have to ask for it from behind the counter. "Why?", I asked. "Are they afraid I'm going to get all hopped up cold medication?" Apparently, they are.
Many popular, over-the-counter cold medications contain the decongestant Pseudoephedrine, which has been recognized as a usable precursor to methamphetamine. While the ingredient is being slowly phased out in favor of phenylephrine, the sale of medications that still contain Pseudoephedrine are strictly regulated. As a result, it's easier for a toddler to buy booze than it is for anyone to purchase Sudafed.
To procure the cold medication, I had to go to the front counter and ask for it with the same nervous shame I would have if I were buying sex toys from a church bizarre. I had to produce my driver's license for scanning and then sign an agreement saying, in essence, that I won't be using my Tylenol Severe Cold medication to get myself or anyone else loaded. The only thing they didn't do was give me a body cavity search, which is good because I would expect a fancy dinner first.
After the inquisition was over, I looked at my receipt. On it had the amount of Pseudoephedrine I had purchased along with my daily limit. Should I go over this limit (which I estimate would only be attainable if I had planned on having a cold for one year straight and decided to buy in bulk ahead of time), I would be red-flagged and possibly brought up on misdemeanor possession charges. Lock-up's a bitch - especially when you're sneezing during the mug shots.
I can understand the concern but it seems more like another "Drug War" battle that affects the honest citizens. It has been almost three years since testimony was heard to call for the reduction of Pseudoephedrine use in OTC medication, but yet the replacement, Phenylephrine, hasn't been fully phased-in after all this time. We're still forced to jump through inconvenient hoops for remedies as if we're buying a gun while wearing a trench coat. I just want to stifle the sniffles, not start a drug empire in my garage.
Meanwhile, I think I'm starting to catch the cold my girlfriend has. I wish I had a job so I can call in sick.
2 comments:
You left out the part where I asked you to get me the pills, because I had bought the same pills for my mother 2 days before and I was afraid that SWAT was going to bust down our front door.
Dude, I know. I remember say ten years ago when my buddy told me about this being in there, but it was a surprise to me it had become regulated since then, when a couple months ago I went to get something for my mom and she told me about that. Huh.
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