Controlled substances

Yesterday I met a friend and her extra squishy, delightful baby for lunch. Then we ran some errands together. Way more entertaining together than separately.


We met at the train station. After we each bought whatever tickets we needed, we headed over to the Apotheke- which is in the train station along with a hair salon, Chinese restaurant, florist, shoe store, couple of bakeries, dentists, cell phone store, Starbucks- place is deceptively large. And it has an all glass facade that changes colors at night like Cinderella's Castle at Disney World. Too bad Tinkerbelle doesn't fly across town to it. Like this...

http://youtu.be/MUIuCKreEt0

The Apotheke is open 365 days a year. That in itself is unusual and a reason to investigate.


Recently, I was told there is a brand of throat lozenges that are not approved by the FDA in the US, making them unavailable- there. Here, they are plentiful. Which makes them 100 times more attractive to me. Just because. By the way, Lauren had a sore throat and the school nurse gave her throat lozenges. Enough for 24 hours. She also warned me I may be getting billed for them.


For those of you familiar with CVS or Rite-Aid, pharmacies here do not resemble those. Here, you go in and describe your issue (rash, infection, fever- pick your malady) to the person at the register and they go in back and rummage through 100 unmarked drawers. They come back with the solution. You buy it.

You also buy ibuprofen there. Or at your dentist. Yes, the dentist sells them. 20 tabs 200mg for about $6.50. In the US at CVS? 750 for $18.29.

And even more interesting, I had to my mix my daughter's prescription myself. I was given the powder with instructions as to how much liquid. The doctor gives you the meds. One trip to the pediatrician, two medicines- about $135.00.


Sure, it's a little weird to describe the problem in public but not nearly as distressing as being unable to read the warnings and contraindications that are printed in size 2.5 font, folded ten times, and stuck in the box.


I read those things. Now, I can't. Not in box, not with a fox, not in French, not on a bench, not in German, not with Herman, not in Italian, not with scallions, and especially, not in English (is there no word that rhymes with English? Weird). So, I made a paper airplane out of it. It has a really long tail because the pages are quite skinny and usually very long. It flew ok considering the tail.




It took me about an hour online but I did find out the drug I was given isn't available in the US. I have no idea why.


The FDA has also banned Kinder Eggs. Think chocolate Easter egg with a toy inside. The original Happy Meal. Happy Meals weren't introduced until 1979. Kinder Surprise eggs-1973.


Here are actual photos of a Kinder Egg hatching. Not as good as turtles but it's what's available in Switzerland.




















You squish the yellow parts together and the wheel goes flying.


Why are they banned? Something about a law going back to 1938 and a ban on food containing a non-nutritive item within it. That and a choking hazard. Except they are sold all over Europe. Seems to be working out.


Personally, I think Polly Pockets and marbles are a bigger risk but what do I know?

Comments

  1. Kindereggs are just great, I find. Even now that my children have outgrown them I still want them. For Me!

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