Homeopathy Works! And by works...

[Paratus]

I mean gets you drunk....


http://www.slate.com/articles/healt...ntains_alcohol_and_can_be_sold_to_minors.html

There’s one exception to the rule that homeopathic products are basically sugar and water. Many of them list alcohol as an “inactive” ingredient. Because labeling laws on homeopathy are so different from regulations on real medicine with proven ingredients, the only actual drug in a bottle of homeopathic medicine—ethanol, the same active ingredient in vodka—doesn’t have to be listed as a drug. This is not an isolated case.

CVS sells a store-brand homeopathic constipation medication labeled “safe and non-habit forming.” It is conveniently 20 percent ethanol, meaning it is a 40-proof hard liquor and saving you the trouble of hitting the liquor store. Because who doesn’t enjoy doing shots when they’re trying to beat constipation

The author drank 2 and blew .11.

NBC also sent a 15 year old in to buy it. No problem!

 

[GagHalfrunt]

One problem, it's $7.99 an ounce

http://www.cvs.com/shop/health-medi...c-constipation-relief-liquid-1oz-skuid-982094

You need to drink 3 oz to get the equivalent of a single 1.5 ounce shot of 80 proof liquor. That's $24 a shot, far beyond top shelf prices. So homeopathic meds are as big a rip-off as intoxicants as they are as medicines.

 

[Jeff7]

James Randi likes to start some of his homeopathy seminars by downing a bottle of a homeopathic sleep remedy, which of course does nothing to put him to sleep.

I was thinking that that might not be a good idea, partly because of this, but also because the industry is so poorly regulated.

What are those "inert" ingredients? Well....you know, stuff, and things.

Twenty minutes later, I was back on camera to take a breathalyzer, revealing my blood alcohol level was 0.11 percent. I got legally drunk from a CVS-brand homeopathic remedy … and then I was visibly drunk and saying more ridiculous things than usual on camera, because YouTube is built on people rambling like drunken idiots. Well, that and videos of cats.

If this article makes it to Slashdot, there might be a spike in sales of this stuff.


Brb, I want to go legitimately buy some sudafed for this cold I've got.
Oh, right, first I have to put my name into a book that the pharmacy has labeled "Meth book."

One problem, it's $7.99 an ounce

http://www.cvs.com/shop/health-medi...c-constipation-relief-liquid-1oz-skuid-982094

You need to drink 3 oz to get the equivalent of a single 1.5 ounce shot of 80 proof liquor. That's $24 a shot, far beyond top shelf prices. So homeopathic meds are as big a rip-off as intoxicants as they are as medicines.

But not nearly as much risk of any legal problems.

Also.....wait, what? I thought there would be something else in there in some insanely low dilution. Nope.
Ingedients: Ethanol USP 20%, purified water.
That's it? So if I just mix half vodka and half water, I'll have CVS-grade homeopathic constipation relief? Damn, some coffee or a trip to McDonalds will do the job for less.

 

[Paratus]

One problem, it's $7.99 an ounce

http://www.cvs.com/shop/health-medi...c-constipation-relief-liquid-1oz-skuid-982094

You need to drink 3 oz to get the equivalent of a single 1.5 ounce shot of 80 proof liquor. That's $24 a shot, far beyond top shelf prices. So homeopathic meds are as big a rip-off as intoxicants as they are as medicines.

It's bullshit in so many levels!

James Randi likes to start some of his homeopathy seminars by downing a bottle of a homeopathic sleep remedy, which of course does nothing to put him to sleep.

I was thinking that that might not be a good idea, partly because of this, but also because the industry is so poorly regulated.

What are those "inert" ingredients? Well....you know, stuff, and things.



If this article makes it to Slashdot, there might be a spike in sales of this stuff.


Brb, I want to go legitimately buy some sudafed for this cold I've got.
Oh, right, first I have to put my name into a book that the pharmacy has labeled "Meth book."

I love they don't have to list ingredients but people want to list GMO's in everything we eat.

From the bottles you basically have no idea what's actually in it.

 

[JasonCoder]

I am personally shocked that a corporate endeavor would attempt to profit from under-informed customers seeking a remedy for their maladies. Certainly this is a motherfucking first. Especially in America.

 

[Jeff7]

Oh god....I was looking for other homeopathic things at CVS to look for more cost-effective alcohol sources.

It's not cheaper, but.....homeopathic oral spray for vaginitis.

Oh, an oral spray, because the mouth is.........no, I'm not going to try.

But it's 20% organic alcohol. Oooooh. Gluten-free, I wonder?
Oh dammit, it even has diluted creosote (kreosotum) as an ingredient. Damn, so when I cleaned out part of the chimney back at my parents' house, I was throwing away money?


Another one: Homeopathic Bladder Complex. 20% alcohol.

Still nothing cheaper though. I wonder who sells this stuff in bulk quantities...

 

[Matthiasa]

I would be scared to take anything actually containing even half the listed ingredients from that bladder listing. Everything from mercury to nightshade...

 

[Jeff7]

I would be scared to take anything actually containing even half the listed ingredients from that bladder listing. Everything from mercury to nightshade...

Yeah.

Well, good news, the bladder stuff probably doesn't contain much of any of those things. Some of those are pretty strong though. I thought homeopathic things allegedly got stronger when they're more diluted?


You'd think then that Miller Light would get you drunk more effectively than whisky.

 

[zinfamous]

It's bullshit in so many levels!


I love they don't have to list ingredients but people want to list GMO's in everything we eat.

From the bottles you basically have no idea what's actually in it.

And of course you know the tools that swear by homeopathy are primarily the ones that want labeling for all GMO products.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Yea, 15 year olds should do what normal 15 year olds do and get drunk off of Mouthwash and Nyquil, not some crazy expensive snake oil bullshit!

 

[DrPizza]

It's long overdue for there to be regulations that, more or less, put this homeopathic medicine crap out of business in this country for good. There is ZERO evidence that supports it - all it has is the placebo effect. It does more harm than good by giving patients an alternative to real care: the alternative being "do absolutely nothing but waste money."

 

[Rakehellion]

Shouldn't it use denatured alcohol?

 

[BurnItDwn]

It's long overdue for there to be regulations that, more or less, put this homeopathic medicine crap out of business in this country for good. There is ZERO evidence that supports it - all it has is the placebo effect. It does more harm than good by giving patients an alternative to real care: the alternative being "do absolutely nothing but waste money."

This! I vote for this!

 

[zinfamous]

Shouldn't it use denatured alcohol?

well, that would be hilarious and also murderous, but no.

I think what you mean is that it should use heavily diluted alcohol--like 1 pp100m of ethyl alcohol or somesuch.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Yea, 15 year olds should do what normal 15 year olds do and get drunk off of Mouthwash and Nyquil, not some crazy expensive snake oil bullshit!

Hey now, give the 15 year olds credit for a little intelligence. Most of them get drunk off the stuff in their mother and fathers liquor cabinets (or friends parents stockpile). They only resort to mouthwash and Nyquil after they get caught and the parents start locking up the alcohol.

And even then, you have to be pretty stupid to need Nyquil. I never once tried to drink anything other than real, honest to god commercial booze. It was easy enough to get fake IDs or to buy stuff from somebody's older brother or neer-do-well 2nd cousin. If you can't get real hooch when you're 15 you don't deserve to drink.

 

[Jeff7]

And of course you know the tools that swear by homeopathy are primarily the ones that want labeling for all GMO products.

Well obviously water has memory.
Water's got like, molecules and chemistry and shit. That's scientific stuff, right? Homeopathy has to be legit!

It's long overdue for there to be regulations that, more or less, put this homeopathic medicine crap out of business in this country for good. There is ZERO evidence that supports it - all it has is the placebo effect. It does more harm than good by giving patients an alternative to real care: the alternative being "do absolutely nothing but waste money."

:hmm:
The wording sparked an idea, which was linked to this years-old article about the surprising effectiveness of placebos.

There is a probability that people who are "cured" by placebos would, left with no homeopathic option, seek out real medical treatment instead, placing a burden on the medical care system for an ailment that could be treated by what amounts to a pat on the head.

*sigh*
Need more data.
1) How many people use useless homeopathic stuff in place of real medication, and sustain further injury as a result?
2) How many people use useless homeopathic stuff in place of real medication, but who in fact did not need medication or care in the first place, and would therefore be diverting resources from those who truly needed it?


Though I suppose it's a bit more ethical to err on the side of caution, and ensure that even those who are stupid and/or ignorant will also get proper medical attention, rather than piss away time, money, and potentially life on something useless.