Why did the government make pseudoephedrine, over the counter drug, when there are other meth ingredients?

Question

I wasn't getting the answers I wanted on the last question. I understand that meth is bad and the government wanted to make it harder to get a lot of Sudafed or what have you, to help the fight to reduce meth production (you can argue if this would even help, but that is not important to me).

Basically, I know that the common way to make Meth is a combination of pseudoephedrine and red phosphorus (usually from red phosphorus matches) and iodine (ok this one you have to keep, I guess). They were all Class-1 chemicals before the Patriot Act which means that you had to control the production and distrubution of the chemical in the process of making it, and show caution when selling the product in large quantities. So why target Sudafed and not the matches, we have better matches today than the red phosphorus matches, but there are people who borderline need Sudafed for nasal congestion issues.

So I ask you, does anyone know why they targeted pseudoephedrine?

Answer 1

There are potential health risks
associated with the use of products containing ephedrine.

Answer 2

Um, the decongestants won't work if they take it out. So what would be the point in making it at all? The main ingredient in decongestants is pseudoephedrine, which is what meth labs are going after when cooking up methamphetamine. That is why the government has ordered that Sudafed be kept behind pharmacy counters and rationed out, so the government IS doing something about it. EDIT: Stan, all the pharmacy has to do is OK it with the doctor to refill the prescription. You're not facing a crisis with that, for goodness sake. Also, Allegra-D is sold over the counter everywhere. Why did the dentist write you a script for it? lol

Answer 3

one thing you'll learn in life, is the government doesn't really care about drug use as long as the drug is supplied by corporations. But, when it gets to be a popular money maker, the government wants its share, and it can only obtain the biggest share by making it illegal.
there are plenty of drugs out there, that they pay no attention to, because they aren't popular. they don't pay any attention to them, until they get popular, because enforcing laws on them would actually cost the government more money than it takes in from the arrests.

pseudoephedrine, was a popular source for drug ingredients, that allows people to make money without reporting ti to the IRS.

Answer 4

It's to get you accustomed to arbitrary government control being expanded into every facet of your life.