Did you know that Bayer synthesized and named heroin (then Heroin) barely more than 100 years ago? “The Sedative for Coughs,” it was. You could run down to the drugstore and buy a little 5-gram bottle of it. Can you imagine the disaster that would be today?
(I actually think said disaster is anything but guaranteed, but that’s another post.)
My lifelong experience is that, apart from analgesics, there aren’t many particularly effective over-the-counter drugs for cold symptoms.
Pseudoephedrine is one that works. It’s a good decongestant. Unfortunately, it’s also a methamphetamine precursor. It’s still over-the-counter, but to purchase it, you must surrender extensive personal information to the federal government. I expect that even this is a temporary stop on the way to prescription status. It’s already there in Oregon.
I’m confident that dextromethorphan is next. It’s an effective antitussive. When I have a dry, hacking cough, it is the only thing I can get over-the-counter that allows me to sleep reliably. But, it’s also abused as a recreational drug, by those who wish to drool and stumble in their free time. You can bet it won’t be long before we need to Think Of The Children and get it behind the counter by law, as well. Prescription? Sure, maybe. Why not? More regulation is the only sensible course. It’s for your own good.
Waiting rooms, copays, pharmacies, prescription copays…for NyQuil. Soon, getting any relief from a cold is going to cost $50 and at least four hours, no matter what.
Oh, wait a minute! What am I thinking? Health care is about to be free. I forgot.
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And then when we have the enormous bureaucracy that is needed to administer a national health careless system, they’ll need to find ways to cut waste. Unhealthy foods will be determined to be a “precursor” to bad health. So, then will we need a ‘scrip to buy some Doritos?
I will be stockpiling pseudophed and snickers bars, then.
Don’t even GO there with me. Last year, when we were all down with WICKED colds, Mr. Chili went to the pharmacy to get some Sudafed. He came back, after FAR longer than I expected him to be gone, tossed the box at me and said something to the effect of “pretty soon, it’s going to be easier to score actual METH than it will be to buy a frickin’ cough drop.”
It’s only funny because it’s true.