Just say no to Sudafed

We read in the NY Times today that states are planning to restict sales of pseudophedrine (the decongestant often known by the name brand Sudafed). The reason is that home chemists can use it as an ingrediant to manufacture their own methamphetamine.

This seems like an especially useless way to fight the war on drugs. The NY Times article points out that 80% of meth comes from “superlabs” in Mexico or California. Organized crime groups will continue to supply meth to those who desire it, and in fact make even more money if sales of cold medicine are restricted because then they will have a monopoly on supply. I’d rather have some loser in a trailer park making the profits.

The drug war is clearly a case where the costs (direct and indirect) of fighting the war far outweigh any dubious benefit we might get out of it.

One blogger offers an anecdote about what a pain it was to buy Sudafed at a Rite Aid pharmacy because of restrictions on its sale.

Kelson complains about having to show ID:

Y’know, I have no problem with limiting the quantities purchased (as long as the limits are reasonable), and I can live with standing in line at the pharmacy if I have to—but some of the suggestions are to require you to “show identification—and even enter [your] addresses in a law enforcement database.” Excuse me? What do the police care if I have a cold? New! More government scrutiny of your life, brought to you by the War on Drugs™!

Comments

[chad]

There are basically 3 ways to produce Meth. the P2P method. Difficult because the chemicals are restricted. Ephdrine reduction. Time consuming. Psuedephdrine extraction (Nazi Method). Easy and Fast produces high quality meth.
Psuedophedrine extraction is what is being targeted.

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/factsht/methamph/

http://www.prescottaz.com/meth/danger.htm

[chad]

Forgot to say the Nazi method is the prefered method of the "superlabs".

[kyle]

a couple of years ago i tried to buy 2 boxes of thera-flu at safeway and the cashier would only let me buy one box. she explained that people use it to make meth and that i could only buy one box. i told her that i make my meth out of other products anyway. she thought that was pretty funny.

if 80% of it comes from "superlabs" then the other 20% has to come from somewhere else, right?

but, yeah, it's still pretty useless. but it's not like doing nothing is a choice.