# quinine question might not be legal but I dont know **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 20, 2007, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quinine-question-might-not-be-legal-but-i-dont-know/412514 "2007-07-20T08:07:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quinine-question-might-not-be-legal-but-i-dont-know/412514/1 "2007-07-20T08:07:17Z")
ok I want to use some quinine in a home crafting experiment, no I dont want to eat the stuff, it tastes nasty and Seattle isnt exactly a hotbed of malaria. I can use tonic water for this project but I have good reason to think I will need higher parts per million to achieve the proper black light effect. so Question 1, is this question even ok to ask here at the dope due to the fact that quinine is a sort of prescription drug. question 2, could I simply simmer a couple liters of tonic water down and then use the remaining fluid for my extra dense quinine juice. (I am not trying to be vague for some crazy legal reason, I just think I have an original idea and want to give it a try before I patent it and make a billion bucks…or I will post the results once I find out if it works or not. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quinine-question-might-not-be-legal-but-i-dont-know/412514/2 "2007-07-20T10:39:03Z")
[QUOTE=Critical1] question 2, could I simply simmer a couple liters of tonic water down and then use the remaining fluid for my extra dense quinine juice. [/QUOTE] Yes, you could reduce the tonic water to concentrate the quinine, but you’ll only get about 83mg of quinine per litre of tonic water. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quinine-question-might-not-be-legal-but-i-dont-know/412514/3 "2007-07-20T11:17:55Z")
Do you really need a prescription for quinine? My doctor recommended it for possible relief to bad leg cramps at night. He spoke about it as if it were OTC and harmless to try. What do the SDopers say? How can one buy quinine? Rx or OTC? - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quinine-question-might-not-be-legal-but-i-dont-know/412514/4 "2007-07-20T12:33:25Z")
I know a person that has to take it for medical reasons, and she has a prescription. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quinine-question-might-not-be-legal-but-i-dont-know/412514/5 "2007-07-20T12:54:57Z")
> [@](#): > > **FDA Advances Effort Against Marketed Unapproved Drugs** > _FDA Orders Unapproved Quinine Drugs from the Market and Cautions Consumers About “Off-Label” Use of Quinine to Treat Leg Cramps_ > December 11, 2006 > > The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today ordered firms to stop marketing unapproved drug products containing quinine, a drug used to treat malaria, citing serious safety concerns, including deaths, associated with quinine products. There are multiple unapproved products containing quinine currently marketed. However, there is only one quinine product approved by the FDA. > > As part of its action, FDA is also cautioning consumers about off-label use of quinine to treat leg cramps. Quinine is approved for treatment of malaria, but is also commonly prescribed to treat leg cramps and similar conditions. Because malaria is life-threatening, the risks associated with quinine use are justified for that condition. But because of the drug’s risks, FDA believes it should not be used to prevent or treat leg cramps. … > > … One quinine drug product, Mutual Pharmaceutical Company, Inc.'s Qualaquin, is FDA-approved to treat certain types of malaria without complications. Unlike the approved product, many unapproved quinine drug products are marketed without labeling cautioning against use of the product for treatment of leg cramps. The FDA-approved labeling for the product provides extensive warnings regarding serious adverse events associated with use of quinine, potentially serious interactions with other drugs, and conditions under which quinine should not be used. Quinine is a drug with a narrow margin between an effective dose and a toxic dose. The dosing for the approved drug is supported by data to maximize the safety and efficacy of the product. The dosing for the unapproved drugs has not been reviewed and approved by FDA. > > Since 1969, FDA has received 665 reports of adverse events with serious outcomes associated with quinine use, including 93 deaths. Quinine drugs are associated with serious side effects, such as cardiac arrhythmias, thrombocytopenia (a decrease in blood platelets that can cause hemorrhage or clotting problems), and severe hypersensitivity reactions. There is also the potential for serious interactions between quinine drugs and other drugs, and there are conditions under which quinine should not be used. > > Under today’s action, previously manufactured unapproved products may still be found on pharmacy shelves for a short period of time, but manufacturing of new product must cease in 60 days. …[RIGHT][CITE](http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01521.html)[/RIGHT] Funny, so dangerous that it has to be taken off the market, but not immediately. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quinine-question-might-not-be-legal-but-i-dont-know/412514/6 "2007-07-20T13:50:12Z")
[QUOTE=Critical1] I have good reason to think I will need higher parts per million to achieve the proper black light effect. [/QUOTE] You haven’t said exactly what you’re making, but perhaps a fabric brightener, [such as Rit](http://www.amazon.com/Rit-Dye-Powder-Fabric-Whitener/dp/B0001DTCTQ), would do the job. As shown in [this project](http://www.vilethings.com/vilethings_skeleton_marionette_part_2.htm), it’s quite bright under UV. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quinine-question-might-not-be-legal-but-i-dont-know/412514/7 "2007-07-21T02:57:49Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] You haven’t said exactly what you’re making, but perhaps a fabric brightener, [such as Rit](http://www.amazon.com/Rit-Dye-Powder-Fabric-Whitener/dp/B0001DTCTQ), would do the job. As shown in [this project](http://www.vilethings.com/vilethings_skeleton_marionette_part_2.htm), it’s quite bright under UV. [/QUOTE] that, sadly would really really not work. its pretty specific, I am headed to the store here in a few, I should have some results in 2-3 weeks. by the way this wont change the world as we know it…unless you’re a hippy raver or something. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quinine-question-might-not-be-legal-but-i-dont-know/412514/8 "2007-07-21T06:30:43Z")
Well, what you want is [right here for about $7 a gram plus shipping](http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/search/ProductDetail/FLUKA/22620). However, I really don’t know how S&A feels about shipping _anything_ to individuals with no lab, but if they do, they’ll most likely ship at least quinine. You’ll most likely have to call them and set up an account. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quinine-question-might-not-be-legal-but-i-dont-know/412514/9 "2007-07-21T06:43:03Z")
I missed my edit window but I just noticed that the Wikipedia page on quinine has a sidenote that it’s used to cut cocaine. I think that’s a pretty unsupported allegation – I could think of a million better things to cut cocaine with than a $7/gm extremely bitter antimalaria medication. However, that page also did bring up an interesting point: the prophylactic dose of quinine with a lot of nasty side effects seems to be around 250mg every day. Now, Tonic supposedly contains up to 83mg per liter, and I’ve been known to drink over two liters in one sitting. Since it was usually mixed with gin I don’t remember ever feeling anything out of the ordinary, but the question remains – if done daily, is the ensuing cirrhosis and untimely demise excused by my improved chances of not contracting malaria?