Over-the-counter drugs (OTC) or other
medical remedies may be sold without a prescription and without
a visit to a medical professional. One of the oldest OTC drugs
is aspirin. Sometimes some OTC drugs are further restricted to
require prescriptions. Cocaine and various opiates, for
instance, were once sold freely OTC, but now are highly
restricted. On the other hand, diphenhydramine hydrochloride
(Benadryl, for instance) once required a prescription, but now
is available OTC.
Other over-the-counter drugs are sold, but not marketed as
drugs. Morning glory seeds are sold for their gardening
purposes, but can be used recreationally as a hallucinogenic
drug due to the LSA it contains. Nutmeg has also been used to
some extent as a hallucinogenic drug, but is considered
undesirable to most recreational drug users.
