Meth

So anyway I'm sick. My head is muggy and I my nose won't stop running. Urgh. Worse still I'm at work as I can't afford to use up my holiday by taking a sick day (yeah, that's how it works here. No, really, it is.)

Because American's:

a) Have obscenely expensive healthcare (in addition to the monthly fee's you also have to pay $20 per doctor visit in what's called Co-Pay)

b) Can't take a sick day without taking a day out of their stingy holiday day allocation

Pharmacy's here have all the power. Walgreens, Duane Reade and like are the most common stores you'll see on the highstreet. They also sell everything!

Want drugs? Go to your pharmacy.
Want food? Go to your pharmacy.
Want alcohol?
Want cleaning products?
Want furniture?
Want anything else?
Go to your pharmacy.

However, the drugs part is the real power for them.
People here need to not feel ill so they can work.
This is different from getting better.
No one wants to make drugs that get you better.
Because then you get better.
And stop buying the drugs.

The drug I've been recommended here for general illness is Aleve-D.

This is because it contain it contains the fabled pseudoephedrine. In the UK Sudafed has the same active ingredient.

Here however, you need to show a US drivers licence in order to buy anything with it in, as it's also the active ingredient of Meth.

As I don't have a US drivers license I was not allowed to buy it or anything similar. Nuts.
I had to buy crappier alternatives.