A few days ago a friend sent me an email about being born before the 1970's. The email rambled on about children riding bicycles without helmets and all sorts of random things that were about my life as a child and, actually, some of my children's lives as well. It bestowed some fond memories, but also helped me "see", to some small degree, how paranoid we have become as a nation. In the early 70's I could still buy paregoric at the druggest. Camphorated tincture of opium!!! Yep, I could sign for one ounce at a time for use as an analgesic. Nothing worked better than a couple of drops of paregoric in a glass of water for cramps. Never thought of abusing it, though I'm sure some did. But, there were regulations for that! Now the regulation is, you can't buy it at all.
I also could sign for Robitussin Cough Syrup with Codeine. Yep, it was regulated too. I didn't abuse that either. Now I have to have a prescription. For my own good, of course.
A few years ago I could go in and buy large boxes of Sudafed. Thanks to the criminal element of society I now cannot buy it for the family, but rather only for myself... one 30 day supply per month per person. If this were not bad enough... maybe I can even understand it a little bit... we've certainly gone off the road into the ditch at this point.
A couple of weeks ago I went to buy a 3 pack of compressed air for a project to keep my cat off the furniture in the living room. I am 55 years old and had to show my I.D. for that single can of compressed air (no more 3 packs... illegal). COMPRESSED AIR!!! I.D.!!!
Today I read two articles "in the news". Seems the "underworld element" has produced some "bath salts" that contain some kind of super addictive, nasty chemical that is causing some addicted people to behave insanely by snorting, injecting or otherwise using the "bath salts". So, our government in its great wisdom are on the bandwagon to BAN THEIR SALES. Okay, so they are not "bath salts", so ban them, but DON'T CALL THEM BATH SALTS!!! They aren't. Bath salts contain epsom salts, fragrance and softeners. Seriously, don't tell me my Bath Salts are ILLEGAL TO OWN! Ban the chemical if you want to, if you absolutely must, (for my own good, of course), but QUIT CALLING IT some innocuous name.
Next article. You and I have high cholesterol. Big Brother is VERY concerned about my health and yours. So, consideration is being made to put Statins in your McD's burger. And all those depressed children? How about a psychotropic in their Happy Meal? I mean, why not? All these kids injecting Bath Salts and sniffing Compressed Air. They must be horribly depressed.
"1984" is no longer a required "Classic" in high school. Neither is "Brave New World", which to read is very scary in today's environment. Aldous Huxley was a visionary, in my opinion. George Orwell wasn't far behind.
We have become so accustomed to our governments and other authorities "Nanny-ing" us that we fail to think for ourselves. Take statins for instance. I argued for several years with my doctor over the issue of whether or not to take them. I am taking them now, after trying numerous other ways, but the oversight is negligible.
My cholesterol count dropped 70 points in 3 months on a statin. I keep wondering what the next six months will show. I haven't been checked since and am not "due" for several more months. That makes me nervous! In the beginning, when they were first common-ized (new word), blood tests were required every 3 months to check one's liver enzymes. Now it's every 6 to 12. A little scary for me, so I supplement with Milk Thistle. Most people I know who take them have leg cramps regularly. Why haven't their doctors told them that statins destroy CO Q10 in their muscles? Only the "self-informed" I know take that enzyme along with their statin, yet EVERY ARTICLE I've ever read recommends it. But, Nanny "forgot" to tell you, so, well, Doctor's know best. Right? Don't check it out for yourself. Heck, don't even call the doc and tell him (even though it says to on all the literature they gave you that you didn't read).
Lest one thinks that this is my "old age" showing. I assure you it is not. Today is my oldest son's 37th birthday. When he was a baby I took him to Dr. Way in Winchester. Old Dr. Way looked at him and started writing a prescription without saying anything to me at all. Now I know I was only 19, maybe 20, but still, Justin was mine. So, I said, "what's that for" and he said, "honey, don't you worry about it. Just take it to the pharmacy and follow the instructions. I'm the doctor." I looked at old Dr. Way and as he handed me the script, I tore it up in his face and said, "I don't give my child anything that I don't know what it's for." Period. The end. I took him to Dr. Jones the next day, got the same med for an ear infection. He explained everything. Was the best pediatrician I ever had and I was broken hearted when he moved to Texas. He served my children well. So, see, I've always been careful and well read.
We have become a nation of lemmings. We do not think for ourselves and if we do, we are labeled as "rebels". We not only want to be taken care of, we demand it of our authorities, and, of course, they love the control.
From opium to bath salts and all things in between ~ do we really need someone to outlaw a chemical that destroy us? Isn't information enough? Shouldn't we hold some responsibility?
Everyone knows cigarettes kill. EVERYONE! Yet, we all know nurses that smoke. NURSES!! It's legal, right? I watch people who have no jobs, no visible means of support, yet they smoke a pack of cigarettes a DAY to the tune of about $5. That's $150. a MONTH!!! I know other people that talk about their budgets all the time. "If I just had an extra $100 a month." Well, you would if you didn't smoke it away. Wanna outlaw something? How 'bout that?
Having been a former smoker, I can smell it when I walk into a room that has housed smokers. Not someone smoking, but smokERS. But, the Nanny government makes money from the tax on those cancer sticks. So, they are legal.
You know what? TAX, TAX, TAX.... the old adage of "sin tax" holds true. If someone wants to make meth with their sudafed, then, by God, TAX them! Any more than 90 days worth, slap a huge tax on them. They are making an illegal drug with no medicinal value... arrest them, charge them. But do NOT punish me. If I want to grow marijuana in my back yard for my use ~ my business. If I want to grow it and sell it, then TAX the crap out of me!!! TAX, TAX, TAX.
So, this is my rant for today. From paregoric to bath salts. From statins by prescription to statins in your burger. And they ask me why I'm a Libertarian? Seriously? You gotta be kidding. A lemming, I ain't.
Rambling Rose... Hey it's Monday :)
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