# Is Primatene Mist available in Canada?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primatene-mist-available-in-canada/732664>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 27, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primatene-mist-available-in-canada/732664 "2015-09-27T01:43:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primatene-mist-available-in-canada/732664/1 "2015-09-27T01:43:20Z")

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Is Primatene Mist available in Canada? The albuterol hasn’t arrived yet.

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**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primatene-mist-available-in-canada/732664/2 "2015-09-27T02:21:38Z")

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I don’t know. Call a local [Shoppers Drug Mart](http://www1.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/store-locator) and speak to a pharmacist about what they offer over the counter (Asthmanefrin? Primatene?).

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primatene-mist-available-in-canada/732664/3 "2015-09-27T20:28:17Z")

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> [@Muffin](#):
>
> I don’t know. Call a local [Shoppers Drug Mart](http://www1.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/store-locator) and speak to a pharmacist about what they offer over the counter (Asthmanefrin? Primatene?).

Thanks for the link. Mrs. L.A. called a pharmacy in Surrey or White Rock this morning, and there are no OTC puffers. She’ll just have to wait for her prescription stuff.

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**Author:** ![No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_umlaut_for_U)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-primatene-mist-available-in-canada/732664/4 "2015-09-29T17:03:48Z")

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IANAMD, but there are some emergency home remedies that can help an attack, including the herb holy basil (tulsi) steeped in a lidded cup. The vapors can work wonders if an attack hasn’t progressed too far along. And I’ve been known to drink a cup of strong black coffee when things begin.

I got by for about 4 years, back in the bad old days when asthma as a pre-existing condition disqualified you for health insurance, on herbal remedies and environmental changes. Only once did my roomie give me her inhaler for a quick puff.

Of course, once the laws changed, I went to the doctor, and after he realized that it wasn’t just chronic bronchitis, got buckets o’meds. But I’m still leary of overusing the albuterol.