Source: Reason
by Jacob Sullum
“Two decades ago, it became clear that Congress was intent on trying to curtail illicit methamphetamine production by restricting access to pseudoephedrine, a meth precursor that was also widely used as a decongestant in cold and allergy remedies such as Sudafed. Pfizer, the manufacturer of Sudafed products, responded by announcing that it would start selling alternatives containing a different active ingredient: phenylephrine. What’s the difference between pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine? … Pseudoephedrine works, while phenylephrine does not. Or so a unanimous panel of experts advised the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday. … Restrictions on pseudoephedrine did affect the illicit methamphetamine trade, primarily by shifting production from small-scale U.S. operations toward large-scale Mexican traffickers. But by no means did that crimp the supply.” (09/13/23)
https://reason.com/2023/09/13/fake-sudafed-is-bullshit-just-as-you-suspected/