

"America's War on Science" - Do you have a license for that beaker? - asciilifeform
http://memepunks.blogspot.com/2006/06/americas-war-on-science.html

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russell
The article is from 2006, but is still valid. The Consumer Products Safety
Commission in its crusade to make everything idiot proof has neutered the once
ubiquitous chemistry set. (Lawsuit happiness probably contributed.) The war on
drugs has made it illegal to purchase common laboratory glassware without a
background check.

Last week my SO had to repack her cosmetics case into checked luggage because
she had more tha 3 oz. of lotions and such. To top it off some TSA idiot
spilled perfume into her suitcase. She is now sick because she has multiple
chemical sensitivity and her clothes are probably unusable.

~~~
asciilifeform
> The war on drugs has made it illegal to purchase common laboratory glassware
> without a background check

If only that were all. Try getting Aldrich Inc. (or any other chemical vendor)
to ship _anything at all_ to a non-corporate address. And may the gods help
you if your neighbors catch a glimpse of glassware through your basement
window or smell a solvent: be prepared to stare down a SWAT team's rifle
barrel at 3 in the morning.

~~~
CalmQuiet
A. In the future, everyone (in U.S.) will be provided at birth:

1) Social Security Number (though Social Secutity be bankrupt)

2) Corporate identity and EIN (knowing parents will insist on it for their
little future entrepreneurs, anyway).

B. Then Aldrich, et al. will provide other restrictions on shipping.

C. Knowing parents/criminals/etc. will start the next workaround.

[ Go to B. ]

:: Dictionary entry for "insanity" finally changed to "continuing to do the
same thing while expecting different results." ::

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jnovek
I am an amateur photographer who enjoys spending a lot of time in the
darkroom. As the rise of digital cameras has caused "darkroom technician" to
turn from a profession to a hobby, some materials that once had pre-made
formulations from Kodak or Ilford now have to be cooked up at home.

It has been increasingly difficult to get Sodium Hydroxide (lye), Potassium
Permanganate and Potassium Dichromate. I actually had to register with the DEA
to get Potassium Dichromate, even though I can't figure out what it's used for
in the drug trade.

Although I'm usually a more or less rational person, part of me really is
worried that some day I'm going to buy sodium hydroxide and a pack of
pseudoephedrine on the same day and get raided at 3 AM.

~~~
smhinsey
> Although I'm usually a more or less rational person

For what it's worth, we are nowhere near that sort of real-time reporting for
things like pseudoephedrine. At the pharmacy near me they are still having you
sign a giant 3 ring binder when you buy pseudoephedrine.

~~~
asciilifeform
Just wait for the next "Meth Prevention Act." Seriously. Do you really think
that real-time reporting won't be imposed eventually?

The powers-that-be already require prepaid debit cards (so you cannot make
anonymous purchases on-line) and cell phones (no more anonymous calling) to be
registered in this way.

~~~
Radix
Government is pushing ePrescribing pretty hard. It will happen some time after
ePrescribing is universal. Some politician will wake up one day and say to
themself, "Why we already have the ability to track this real time. We just
need to force all e-prescribing systems to register whenever someone buys
whatever- _needs_ -monitoring."

~~~
smhinsey
how does that help with OTC drugs, or do you mean that this will push those to
require prescriptions too?

~~~
Radix
If they already have the system in place to track drugs prescribed by
providers then it will be easier to require the pharmacys to tie your purchase
to you on your OTC purchases. The pharmacys will already have the software and
hardware in place. All it will take is a law to require all of the software
vendors to comply.

