# Is epinephrine controlled like pseudoephedrine in the USA?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-epinephrine-controlled-like-pseudoephedrine-in-the-usa/646191>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 5, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-epinephrine-controlled-like-pseudoephedrine-in-the-usa/646191 "2013-01-05T20:00:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-epinephrine-controlled-like-pseudoephedrine-in-the-usa/646191/1 "2013-01-05T20:00:45Z")

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I asked a relative in the USA to purchase a Asthmanefrin starter kit and some refills for me, it uses epinephrine. I have asthma and epinephrine is the only rescue inhaler med that has ever worked for me.

They said the employee at Walmart told them they would have to show their ID and be logged in a book and their purchase recorded etc. :dubious: I think the employee is confusing pseudoephedrine with epinephrine and there is no legal requirement to log and limit purchases, because there are sites selling asthmanefrin online.

> **[Home • Asthmanefrin](https://www.asthmanefrin.com/)**
>
> Asthmanefrin™ is available at your local Walmart and online here: Order Now Asthmanefrin™ is a fast-acting, over-the-counter medication for the temporary

Is there now a requirement in the USA(or Texas) to log and record epinephrine purchases too?

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**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-epinephrine-controlled-like-pseudoephedrine-in-the-usa/646191/2 "2013-01-05T20:13:22Z")

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It is branded as Primatene Mist in the US. I’m not aware of it being controlled however it was taken off the market due to its use of CFCs as a propellant.

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**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-epinephrine-controlled-like-pseudoephedrine-in-the-usa/646191/3 "2013-01-05T21:19:19Z")

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I cannot find anything requiring epinephrine to be purchased with ID…but I’m not sure it’s been in anything OTC since the laws re: pseudoephedrine et al. were passed. If I were the employee, I think I’d ask for ID, just in case; it’s also possible that they brainfarted (or didn’t know better) and thought it said “ephedrine”, [which \*is \*ID only](http://www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/informationbydrugclass/ucm072423.htm).

Epinephrine, you’ll notice, is not named in that act.

> [@](#):
>
> The FDA is announcing new legal requirements for the legal sale and purchase of drug products containing pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine required by the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005. This new law calls for a comprehensive system of controls regarding the distribution and sale of drug products that can be used in the illicit production of methamphetamine.

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**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-epinephrine-controlled-like-pseudoephedrine-in-the-usa/646191/4 "2013-01-07T03:10:48Z")

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> [@WhyNot](#):
>
> I cannot find anything requiring epinephrine to be purchased with ID…but I’m not sure it’s been in anything OTC since the laws re: pseudoephedrine et al. were passed. If I were the employee, I think I’d ask for ID, just in case; it’s also possible that they brainfarted (or didn’t know better) and thought it said “ephedrine”, [which \*is \*ID only](http://www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/informationbydrugclass/ucm072423.htm).
> 
> Epinephrine, you’ll notice, is not named in that act.

It is in a OTC handheld nebulizer called Asthmanefrin, which was the one they were trying to purchase. They were told they would have to come back with ID when the pharmacy was open.