I’m Not a Meth Addict, Dammit!

17 June 07

Seattle is awesome, especially this time of year. Unfortunately, it’s also allergy season. For me, that means Allegra and Flonase. They work like a charm. Like a good and prepared physician, I always have stock on hand for when the itchy-scratchies start up. But I ran out. So, not wanting to wait until Monday to get my prescriptions from the hospital, I went to the next best thing. It always works in a pinch, even if it makes me a little jittery.

I’m talking of course about Pseudoephedrine, AKA Sudafed.

//rant on//

So, I go to the local Fred Meyer, and there on the shelf is my relief. But wait, it’s only a card. I have to take this stupid card to the stupid pharmacy before I can get this stupid over the counter medicine. As if that wasn’t enough, I also have to fill out goddamn forms and show two photo ID’s and give my fingerprints. This is f’in nuts!

Drugs are a problem throughout the country, but here in Washington State, we really have a problem with crystal meth. Sudafed apparently is a key ingredient. I’ve walked some nature trails in the area and have seen bunches of empty Sudafed packs lying on the ground.

But this is insane. I’m a physician, dammit! I can prescribe narcotics. I can prescribe drugs you’ve never heard of that will mess you up more than you can possibly imagine. Yet, I’m treated like a criminal for the only stupid drug that will quickly and efficiently stop my sneezing.

The worst part of all this is that I first showed up to the store it was before the pharmacy opened. When I inquired if there was any way someone could take my information and sell me one box, you should have seen the looks I got. I could hear their thoughts.

“Damn tweekers.”

//rant off//

I hope everyone had a Happy Father’s Day.