September 23, 2011 5:16 PM

Obama Regime bans OTC asthma inhalers

Obama Administration to Ban Asthma Inhalers Over Environmental Concerns

3:00 PM, Sep 23, 2011
By MARK HEMINGWAY

Remember how Obama recently waived new ozone regulations at the EPA because they were too costly? Well, it seems that the Obama administration is would rather make people with Asthma cough up money than let them make a surely inconsequential contribution to depleting the ozone layer:

Asthma patients who rely on over-the-counter inhalers will need to switch to prescription-only alternatives as part of the federal government's latest attempt to protect the Earth's atmosphere.

The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday patients who use the epinephrine inhalers to treat mild asthma will need to switch by Dec. 31 to other types that do not contain chlorofluorocarbons, an aerosol substance once found in a variety of spray products.

The action is part of an agreement signed by the U.S. and other nations to stop using substances that deplete the ozone layer, a region in the atmosphere that helps block harmful ultraviolet rays from the Sun.

But the switch to a greener inhaler will cost consumers more. Epinephrine inhalers are available via online retailers for around $20, whereas the alternatives, which contain the drug albuterol, range from $30 to $60.

The Atlantic's Megan McArdle, an asthma sufferer, noted a while back that when consumers are forced to use environmentally friendly products they're are almost always worse:

Er, industry also knew how to make low-flow toilets, which is why every toilet in my recently renovated rental house clogs at least once a week.  They knew how to make more energy efficient dryers, which is why even on high, I have to run every load through the dryer in said house twice.  And they knew how to make inexpensive compact flourescent bulbs, which is why my head hurts from the glare emitting from my bedroom lamp.    They also knew how to make asthma inhalers without CFCs, which is why I am hoarding old albuterol inhalers that, unlike the new ones, a) significantly improve my breathing and b) do not make me gag.  Etc.

Well, tough cookies asthma sufferers! You should have written bigger checks to the Democratic party while you had the chance.

Love,

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Comments

Didn't he call them 'inhalators'?

Posted by: m.simon | September 23, 2011 8:35 PM

Re:"inhalators"

No, that smartest of all presidents called them breathalyzers.

Posted by: Kelly | September 24, 2011 3:13 PM

Actually, Obama called them both: inhalators and breathalyzers. Same speech:

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2008/06/07/more-obama-gaffes-media-will-ignore

Posted by: Barbara | September 24, 2011 6:46 PM

Is anyone else mad about the continued ridiculous choices shoved down our throats by OGL and his comrades?

Can't wait until we have someone else in the presidency and God help him or her (Seriously! No slang about this...) as they work to undo and clean up some of the mess that has been created.

Posted by: von | September 24, 2011 9:50 PM

I think the only green move this is about, is money. Making people switch from an over the counter medicine to a prescrption one, got to create more underinsured victims so Obamacare can help.

Posted by: Mel | September 25, 2011 4:40 PM

Of course it's about money, but this isn't about Obamacare. It's just the good ol' revolving door:

http://www.bnet.com/blog/drug-business/gsk-again-has-a-legal-friend-in-washington/581

Posted by: Ball | October 3, 2011 2:24 AM

Well, that explains a lot. Eric Holder has got to be the worst, most biased and corrupt Attorney General we've ever had.

Posted by: Barbara | October 3, 2011 6:30 AM

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