Pseudo-intelligent Part 2
I see Sir Peter Gluckman seems to have found his niche as the supplier of scientific opinion the matches John Key’s. That seems to be the only explanation for suggesting that pseudoephedrine be banned.
And this is still the amount of thought that has gone into this idea. Honestly, does Sir Peter just shuffle through old Ministry of Health papers for his research? I have already blogged on how this will achieve precisely the amount of good that is displayed above. My reasoning has not altered. Few “P” manufacturers are “pill-hunting”. All the major manufacturers are either importing pseudoephedrine directly or via crooked pharmacists and doctors. Banning it from pharmacies will remove the only really useful nasal decongestant on the market. Phenyl Ephrine (the substitute) has been shown to be utterly useless.
The other alternative offered, making pseudoephedrine a prescription-only item, will also have unintended consequences.
Think light-bulbs, Mr. Key, think light-bulbs. Remember how banning incandescent light-bulbs for a minimal saving in electricity was unpopular and nanny-statist? Same thing here. Less people are effected, so you might get away with it this time, but to what purpose? We both know that it will make no difference at all to the methamphetamine problem (except potentially make the big manufacturers richer as a few tiddlers go out of business). If you really want to be seen doing something about drugs (and who doesn’t?) then change the penalty for importing pseudoephedrine illegally to the same one as manufacturing. Make sure they are both very, very long sentences.
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Aug 24 09 3:06 pm
I’m a bit disappointed on following your links to find that pseudoephedrine is ineffective. I’ve had a cold for the last few days and, finding myself without my usual pseudoephedrine-based Coldrex, I bought some phenlyephrine-based Coldrex from the supermarket. It worked a treat: dried me right up.
Let’s hear if for the placebo effect!
It is phenylephrine that is ineffective, not pseudoephedrine.
Aug 30 09 5:17 pm
I personally find phenylephrine useless, whereas pseudoephedrine works quickly and is highly effective. I haven’t noticed any negative side-effects unless I take the maximum daily dose for a few days. I use it sparingly and find it helpful.
The scare tactics annoy me, as does the grand inquisition you get any time you need to go to the chemist to get pills, and the misinformation from pharmacists – many of whom insist that phenylephrine will work just as well.
I would be very disappointed if pseudoephedrine was banned or made a prescription only drug. Maybe a petition and an expensive referendum is called for?
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Great another referendum for the government to ignore!