Last night, as I was suffering from a sinus headache, I decided to stop by Wal-Mart (to add to my suffering). As I perused the sinus-allergy options I noticed that the boxes were missing, and in their place were these cards with the picture of the box I wanted on them. On the back of the card, it stated “please take this to the pharmacist.” So I turned around to collect my drugs, and GUESS WHAT? They are closed (they close at 9PM). So I trot off to customer service and ask where I can collect the relief I was seeking. “The pharmacist is closed,” said the person leaning against the podium. “I know, where can I get this when they are closed?” I inquired. “Well if the pharmacist is closed, you can't,” was the reply. At this point, another podium leg suggested that I try Walgreens. Unlike others who would take the advice offered with a more interactive approach, I offered my thanks, returned the card (I could have thrown it at them), and returned to the comfort of my Bu-Bu to drive over to CVS.
It must be a Wal-Mart thing, I was justifying to myself as I drove to CVS. Alas, this was not the case. As I got to the relief aisle at CVS, there were the cards hanging where the boxes should be. What the F*$k? After SIGNING to collect my sinus-allergy pills from the pharmacist, I once again returned to my car to go home, and tap out an indignant email.
So I get home. I say hello to the boys (they are always excited to see someone come home, regardless of how long the absence has been), and search for the reason my pills are now so hard to acquire. Surprise, surprise … it's the Texas Legislature's fault! Apparantly during the last regular session (79R), the legislature decided to pass House Bill 164 which in short makes pseudoephedrine a controlled substance, and prohibits a person acquiring more than 9 grams of any medicine that contains pseudoephedrine in a month. According to the Bill Analysis this was done to prevent the manufacturing of methamphetamine (or crystal meth). It appears that pseudoephedrine is used to help produce crystal meth. Apparantly Texas is the second leading state in the availability of methamphetamine products. Texas has to be a leader in something 😉
Now after reading this, and then reading about the effects of crystal meth, I'm not as upset over the changes that have been made, it's just an annoyance. I'm still researching the information on the abuse, as I heard a comment that it was the Plano house-wives once again abusing the substance far more than any other category. I remember the heroin story from the late 1990's about the women of Plano doing heroin, because they had so much time and money. I'd like to think it was a crock of poo, but there is probably enough truth in the suggestion to make it believable.
So… because a few housewives have got addicted to crystal meth so that can do more, while looking good, I now have to get a card to get a box to relieve the sinus pressure often caused by allergies, and only after I signed for it.