Asthma inhalers to be banned by year's end for allegedly disrupting ozone layer

www.naturalnews.com...

Well people after careful consideration the Obama Administration finally decides to ban.....Asthma inhalers. You read right Asthma Inhalers. Out of all things you COULD ban that we wouldn't miss it had to be the one thing that some people depend on. Well luckily they say there is an alternative to not using asthma inhalers but the problem is that it is supposedly more expensive than regular inhalers. Nice going Obama you just left people "breathless" with your decision.

I have my CFC free salamol inhaler in front of me here now, curtesy of the good old NHS Serously tho, I doubt the cfc free ones will cost you any more than the old ones if you gotta pay.

Just did a quick U.S price check, the old inhalers are around $34. You can pick up the new CFC free ones for $24 off of amazon.

when this whole thing was taking off a few years ago my insurance did not cover the new inhalers. My old inhalers were only $25, the new inhalers were not covered at $120. I hope they have generic versions now a day cause im gonna def be screwed.

reply to post by KySc5


Not cool what so ever...I use a inhaler at times and asthma has brought me down before..man oh man whats next

People always complain when there is change -- the propellant has changes to HFA there is still a propellant and the news you are talking about is based on a 2008 international agreement. Refrigerants and halon have also been changed. This is in response to the increased damage to the upper atmospheric ozone.

Do you have a problem with the air conditioning in your house, car or refrigerator. Are the automatic gas bottles in your boat an race car still doing their job. Thought so. Faux outrage is faux out rage. To show I have a dog in this fight -- my wife uses an albuterol inhaler -- working just fine thank-you.

reply to post by KySc5


WHATEVER. The OP of this thread is shamefully misleading. If you actually take the time to read the article referenced in the OP you will see this (emphasis is mine):

Asthma sufferers who use inexpensive, over-the-counter Primatene Mist (PM) inhalers will no longer be able to obtain them beginning in 2012, thanks to a phase-out of the product initiated by the Obama administration. In accordance with the Montreal protocols adopted during the Bush administration, products that emit chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which include PM inhalers, are an alleged threat to the ozone layer, and are thus being withdrawn from use."

Source

So, as you see, it is the chloroflourocarbon (aka CFC) propellant in the inhaler that is being banned which is why the current version of Primatene Mist is being phased out. And, if you take a couple of minutes to do a web search to educate yourself about the Montreal Protocol, you will immediately see that the treaty that involves the Montreal Protocol was first opened for discussion and signature in September of 1987. Click HERE to go to the Wikipedia page regarding the Montreal Protocol treaty. As a matter of fact, it was then president RONALD REAGAN who first signed the United States into the treaty.

Furthermore, according to the Wall Street Journal's Health Blog, Amphaster Pharmaceuticals, the company that manufactures Primatene Mist is already developing a replacement inhaler using a different propellant that will be in accord with the banning of the use of CFC's.

Dan Dischner, an Amphastar spokesman, tells DJN that the company’s subsidiary, Armstrong Pharmaceuticals, is talking with the FDA about bringing a new version of the drug — using a different propellant — to market

Source

This thread is a perfect example of why it is crucial for people take a minute to actually read the sources referenced in a discussion and then do a couple of minutes of research to track down the truths and facts behind the story presented.

It is not just Primatene Mist that has had to change its formula. I have moderate to severe asthma that was diagnosed in 1984. The prescription inhaler I use altered its formula to phase out the CFC propellant about 4 or 5 years ago in accordance with the Montreal Protocol.

Primatene Mist is not really a useful product anyways. At one point about 10 years ago, I purchased a Primatene Mist inhaler late one evening when I ran out of my prescription inhaler and didn't make it to the pharmacy in time to get a refill. I guarantee you, anyone with even a moderate case of asthma who has used Primatene Mist will tell you that it barely makes even a tiny dent in asthma attack symptoms. I ended up at the ER with an asthma attack later that night anyways, despite having used the Primatene Mist inhaler to treat my symptoms.

Asthma is a very unpredictable disease. During an asthma attack, a mild case can suddenly become a life threatening severe case with no prior warning. Anyone who has been diagnosed with asthma is gambling with their life if they rely on over the counter remedies like Primatene Mist or tablets.

reply to post by KySc5


That's not going to happen. There are 17.5 million asthma sufferers in the US, and asthma is a life threatening condition. The inhalers were changed over 3 years ago. I know because I am an asthma sufferer and have prescriptions for many inhaler medications. And the decision to change from cfc inhalers to hfa inhalers was made long before Obama became president.