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Throwback to A Simple and Convenient Synthesis of Pseudoephedrine From N-Methylamphetamine [0] [1], a 2012 paper describing how to synthesize Sudafed from meth lol

[0] https://improbable.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Pseudoephe...

[1] https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/pseudephedrine-mad...

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Human society has a massive issue with blindness towards n-order effects (they barely consider second-order effects, never mind thinking further out)
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I don't think its innate though - most people I've met can think of higher order consequences or at least understand them.

The real issue is actually measuring results. I think we have to design society to factor higher order effects in. That means a fundamentally new approach to things like voting and tracking accountability.

Is it even possible? Who knows. Sometimes I think our problems have outstripped individual life spans which makes them intractable.

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The other day I needed pseudoephedrine, so I asked for one box of instant tablets and one box of extended release capsules. The store said they’re only allowed to sell me one box so I had to choose.

I’m so glad these policies made it so meth isn’t super easy to find anymore.

Oh wait, meth is still dirt cheap fucking everywhere, but now I also can’t get effective cold medicine either. Can we please just admit this policy doesn’t have any effect on the meth supply curve and please put pseudoephedrine back in Dayquil?

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That's all correct, and nobody seems to care. Nobody is ever going to improve the system, and us law abiding citizens are left with the consequences.
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