toldailytopic: What do you think of certain cold medicines having to be purchased at

[Nathon Detroit]

The TheologyOnline.com TOPIC OF THE DAY for August 23rd, 2012 12:26 PM

toldailytopic: What do you think of certain cold medicines having to be purchased at the pharmacy rather than over the counter due growing drug problems?

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[Tambora]

toldailytopic: What do you think of certain cold medicines having to be purchased at the pharmacy rather than over the counter due growing drug problems?

It makes it a little less convenient.


I've never really looked into why that is done.
Is it a federal law?

 

[Nathon Detroit]

Lets see.... I can't buy a decongestant at the grocery store unless I show my Driver's license, yet I can vote for the President of the United States without any identification whatsoever. Makes perfect sense. :doh:

 

[noguru]

Lets see.... I can't buy a decongestant at the grocery store unless I show my Driver's license, yet I can vote for the President of the United States without any identification whatsoever. Makes perfect sense. :doh:

It's because they are used in the illegal manufacture of crystal meth. I don't like this at all. I think when the abuse of others starts to excessively limit our freedoms and makes things extremely inconvenient that somethings have gone very wrong in our society. Fortunately I do not have bad allergies like I use to when I was younger. So it is really not much of a concern for me. However, if my allergies were still really bad, and I had to do this just because some moron is using them to make crystal meth, I would be very unsatisfied with public policy.

When I was a software engineer I wrote a DEA report that tracked narcotic purchases at pharmacies. It would flag any pharmacy where sales of a narcotic on that list increased beyond a certain percentage. I really do not understand why they cannot use that same program for over the counter medicines like this as well. Currently we could also include video surveillance that go along with purchases of that specific medicine. I have written POS software that already does something similar to this to minimize employee conspiracy for theft, employee theft and pilfering.

 

[Bright Raven]

Pretty sad huh.

 

[Poly]

toldailytopic: What do you think of certain cold medicines having to be purchased at the pharmacy rather than over the counter due growing drug problems?

It makes it a little less convenient.


I've never really looked into why that is done.
Is it a federal law?

I think so. It used to be certain states but I'm thinking they've made it a federal law.

 

[Doormat]

It's because they are used in the illegal manufacture of crystal meth.

That is what I was told when I asked why I had to show ID and fill out a short form just to purchase a bottle of iodine at the local farm co-op.

The gal at the counter told me that she thought it was stupid because in her opinion iodine was not being used anymore to make that stuff, or something like that. My point being, after decongestants and iodine fall out of vogue, why do poster Knight or I still have to show our papers to make a mundane purchase?

I think your software ideas have merit. Thanks for sharing that.

 

[MaryContrary]

Having seen what crystal meth can do to people I can't begrudge the inconvenience, as long as it at least makes it more difficult for the scum to make that stuff.

That said, a much more effective method of deterring crystal meth production would be to publicly execute anyone caught making or selling it. I'd much prefer our government did that instead.

 

[Layla]

This isn't really a problem in England, but I don't get why it bugs you guys. You are against recreational drug use, right? It's not like you need a prescription, all you have to do is show ID... is that really so much of a inconvenience in order to help reduce the production and sale of meth? Really?

 

[Nathon Detroit]

This isn't really a problem in England, but I don't get why it bugs you guys. You are against recreational drug use, right? It's not like you need a prescription, all you have to do is show ID... is that really so much of a inconvenience in order to help reduce the production and sale of meth? Really?

The problem is... it's just silly! Decongestants are legal. Meth isn't.

Why should 99.9% of the people have to go wait in line at the pharmacy to buy a legal substance merely because .01% of the population uses that substance to make something illegal.

A lot of products can be used to make illegal things. The government should spend more time dealing with the law breakers instead of the law abiders.

This is just like gun control. The government is too afraid to crack down hard on the actual criminals so instead they decide to inconvenience the law abiding citizens. Then the law makers really feel like they are doing something good. :doh:

 

[Nathon Detroit]

That said, a much more effective method of deterring crystal meth production would be to publicly execute anyone caught making or selling it. I'd much prefer our government did that instead.

BINGO!!!!

 

[Layla]

The problem is... it's just silly! Decongestants are legal. Meth isn't.

Why should 99.9% of the people have to go wait in line at the pharmacy to buy a legal substance merely because .01% of the population uses that substance to make something illegal.

A lot of products can be used to make illegal things. The government should spend more time dealing with the law breakers instead of the law abiders.

This is just like gun control. The government is too afraid to crack down hard on the actual criminals so instead they decide to inconvenience the law abiding citizens. Then the law makers really feel like they are doing something good. :doh:

What is your suggested alternative? I mean, decongestants are a legal over-the-counter purchase, yes, but they are also a product used in the production of illegal drugs. It's a simple fact that people buy quantities either to use or to sell to those who make meth. The government does crack down on those who produce and sell illegal substances, where they find them, but it's pretty difficult to find them a lot of the time... this is an easy way to reduce their supply and thus reduct the amount of meth being produced without much cost and with only mild inconvenience to consumers.

Surely you have greater things to worry/complain about than waiting in line for 10 mins? : /

 

[Layla]

Suggesting execution is just silly. I mean... it isn't going to happen. Flat out won't happen. To the extent where it's a completely pointless hypothetical suggestion. Killing all meth producers and drug users would indeed reduce the illegal drug market... but it just is never going to happen. So let's try to stick with reality, and what we can actually do to reduce illegal drug production/use.

 

[Nathon Detroit]

What is your suggested alternative?

Meth dealers and meth "cookers" should be swiftly put to death.

That would end the epidemic instantly.

What next? Will selling pots and pans be regulated because meth cookers use them to cook meth?

 

[noguru]

This isn't really a problem in England, but I don't get why it bugs you guys. You are against recreational drug use, right? It's not like you need a prescription, all you have to do is show ID... is that really so much of a inconvenience in order to help reduce the production and sale of meth? Really?

It is an unnecessary intrusion into the life of a person who is law abiding, simply because a small percentage are abusing themselves and other people through the illegal manufacture of a substance that is clearly excessively harmful to people around them.

Have you ever seen or talked to a meth head? They are quite easy for me to pick out. And they are very often quite delusional in many different aspects of life. I worked with one when I was living in Miami. I started working with him before he started using it. The change in him was extreme, but only if you had to deal with him in depth on any subject. It was probably one of the closest things I have seen to the literal personification of Satan.

 

[Nathon Detroit]

Suggesting execution is just silly. I mean... it isn't going to happen. Flat out won't happen. To the extent where it's a completely pointless hypothetical suggestion. Killing all meth producers and drug users would indeed reduce the illegal drug market... but it just is never going to happen. So let's try to stick with reality, and what we can actually do to reduce illegal drug production/use.

The question was... what is an alternative? The question wasn't... "what will lawmakers likely do in the future?"

When having discussions like these if we limited ourselves to "what will lawmakers do next?" these discussions would be awfully short and boring.

 

[Layla]

Meth dealers and meth "cookers" should be swiftly put to death.

That would end the epidemic instantly.

What next? Will selling pots and pans be regulated because meth cookers use them to cook meth?

See my other post. Let's stay within reality, yeah? It makes practical considerations easier.

They tend to use science lab type equipment, no?

But nevermind. I guess we could just continue freely selling components of meth to whoever wants it just so you don't have to wait in line. Makes perfect sense.

 

[Layla]

The question was... what is an alternative? The question wasn't... "what will lawmakers likely do in the future?"

When having discussions like these if we limited ourselves to "what will lawmakers do next?" these discussions would be awfully short and boring.

I was more going for "what can lawmakers do?"

DP for anyone who does anything illegal ever would sure cut crime. But... it's ridiculous and unrealistic and therefor kinda pointless to discuss if you actually want to stop crime.

 

[noguru]

Meth dealers and meth "cookers" should be swiftly put to death.

That would end the epidemic instantly.

What next? Will selling pots and pans be regulated because meth cookers use them to cook meth?

Well maybe not the first time convicted. But definitely something severe for a second conviction. This is where face recognition software plugged in to POS software would come in handy. And they should be required to register just as sex offenders do, so that the FBI/DEA can keep track of them and leave law abiding citizens alone.

 

[Layla]

It is an unnecessary intrusion into the life of a person who is law abiding, simply because a small percentage are abusing themselves and other people through the illegal manufacture of a substance that is clearly excessively harmful to people around them.

An intrusion? Really? Showing ID to buy drugs is an intrusion? Classification of drugs is based on the harm they can do and the possibility for drug abuse. Narcotics, morphine, etc, are precription because they can also be used recreationally. Decongestants are a component needed to make another recreational drug - meth, so it is perfectly sensible to have some control over who can buy them. Would you like narcotics to be sold over the counter too? Sure, some naughty people abuse them, but there are good people who just need them for pain, and why should they be intruded on so?

Have you ever seen or talked to a meth head? They are quite easy for me to pick out. And they are very often quite delusional in many different aspects of life. I worked with one when I was living in Miami. I started working with him before he started using it. The change in him was extreme, but only if you had to deal with him in depth on any subject. It was probably one of the closest things I have seen to the literal personification of Satan.

I don't know what this has to do with the topic, but ok.