Vicks VapoRub and toxicity

I found a post circulating around in my social network. I want to investigate the truth behind this.

VICKS नाम की दवा अमेरिका में बनाना और बेचना दोनों जुर्म है! अगर किसी डॉक्टर ने किसी को VICKS की prescription लिख दी तो उस डॉक्टर को 14 साल की जेल हो जाती है, उसकी डिग्री छीन ली जाती है | क्यूंकि विक्स जहर है, एवं ये आपको दमा, अस्थमा, ब्रोंकिअल अस्थमा कर सकता है | इसीलिए दुनिया भर में WHO और वैज्ञानिकों ने इसे जहर घोषित किया | और ये जहर भारत में सबसे ज्यादा बिकता है विज्ञापनों की मदद से | लेकिन कानून के हिसाब से किसी दवा का विज्ञापन टीवी पे नही दिया जा सकता! लेकिन पैसे के ताकत से, घूसखोरी से ये सब होता है | राजीव भाई आगे बताते है कि विक्स बहुत ज्यादा महंगी मिलती है उदहारण के तौर पे 25 ग्राम 40 रुपिया की, मतलब 1 किलो विक्स की कीमत 1600 रुपिया है | विक्स पेट्रोलियम जेल्ली से बनता है जिसकी कीमत 60 -70 रुपिया किलो है और विक्स की बिक्री में प्रोक्टर एंड गम्ब्ले कंपनी को 20000 % से ज्यादा का मुनाफा है | ये मुनाफा आप की जेब से लूटा जा रहा है और सरकार इस घोटाले में शामिल है | सरकार ने लाइसेन्स दे रखा है, आँखे बंद कर रखी है और कंपनी देश को लूट रही है!
मेरा आप सब से अनुरोध है कि इस दवा को ना खरीदें और इसके बारे में दुसरो को भी बताएं! मैं आपका आभारी रहूँगा!
जय हिंद-जय भारत !!!!

Analysis

Toxicity of Vicks VapoRub

क्यूंकि विक्स जहर है, एवं ये आपको दमा, अस्थमा, ब्रोंकिअल अस्थमा कर सकता है | इसीलिए दुनिया भर में WHO और वैज्ञानिकों ने इसे जहर घोषित किया |

  According to the claim, Vicks VapoRub is toxic. Well surprisingly there is a small degree of truth in this claim. Vicks contains Camphor which is believed to be toxic in significant doses (50-500mg/Kg). Sources: Google Camphor toxicity  Wikipedia.

Ban of Vicks VapoRub in USA/all over the world/WHO/FDA

VICKS नाम की दवा अमेरिका में बनाना और बेचना दोनों जुर्म है! अगर किसी डॉक्टर ने किसी को VICKS की prescription लिख दी तो उस डॉक्टर को 14 साल की जेल हो जाती है, उसकी डिग्री छीन ली जाती है |

The closest fact that I could find is that FDA bans any drugs that contain more than 11% of Camphor [Wikipedia]. Vicks VapoRub contains 4.8% Camphor [Vicks.com]. So effectively it is not banned.

Cost analysis

राजीव भाई आगे बताते है कि विक्स बहुत ज्यादा महंगी मिलती है उदहारण के तौर पे 25 ग्राम 40 रुपिया की, मतलब 1 किलो विक्स की कीमत 1600 रुपिया है | विक्स पेट्रोलियम जेल्ली से बनता है जिसकी कीमत 60 -70 रुपिया किलो है और विक्स की बिक्री में प्रोक्टर एंड गम्ब्ले कंपनी को 20000 % से ज्यादा का मुनाफा है | ये मुनाफा आप की जेब से लूटा जा रहा है और सरकार इस घोटाले में शामिल है |

I don't really care about this point. Pepsi is supposedly manufactured at 85 paise per bottle, but sold at Rs 15 per bottle. However, Vicks is not just petroleum jelly, it contains herbal elements like Camphor, Menthol and Eucalyptus oil. So all the argument is fabricated.

Legality of Drug Advertisements

लेकिन कानून के हिसाब से किसी दवा का विज्ञापन टीवी पे नही दिया जा सकता! लेकिन पैसे के ताकत से, घूसखोरी से ये सब होता है | 

The laws prohibiting Drug Advertisement is very weak in India as compared to other countries. All the drugs not listed under prescription only drugs can be classified as Over the counter drugs. This article presents a clearer picture over this topic. FDA on the other hand provides very limited legal scope of how a drug can be advertised.

Conclusion

The post is fabricated lie.

Back to academia

For the past 3 years I was dying to come back to academia. And now I am back. How does it feel like? Well it feels good. But--yes there is a *but*--there are doubts, doubts like what if I fail, what if I end being a stupid trying to follow some inspiration movie instead of being a realist, what if this is not the track where I can best utilise my talent, what if I am too old for this.

It feels good in the sense that I am on the right track on what I always wanted to do. And as I walk this path, I appreciate the difficulty of this path. I never imagined it would be easy. All I am trying to say is that now that I have got what I wanted, all the responsibility of consequences lie on me. If I fail, it is all because of me, if I succeed it is all because my family and friends always backed me up. So any kind of indication that I am not doing well, scares be a bit, for example a bit of screwed up exam, or a partially complete assignment. It is not only academic success that I have to make sure, I should be able to adjust and survive new way of living at a new place. I have find a way to get healthy diet, and stay healthy without wasting a lot of time. I am not complaining, I am just sharing what it feels like to have things your way, even after disagreement from family.

AFSPA should be removed

I am not a journalist, I am not a army men, neither I am citizen of one of the states where AFSPA has been imposed. So, there is no reason why comment should be taken seriously and I may not have enough information to formulate a right opinion in this regard. I cite following reasons for my opinion

Good will of citizens is the most important requirement for a counter insurgency operation.

It's true that Army men will have their life endangered on the removal of AFSPA. I am not an expert strategist in counter insurgency operations but there should be some way out of this problem. For example, 50% of the army personals appointed in an an area can be appointed from the local population. So that there is a mutual feeling of sympathy among the army men and the local population. Secondly, hiring local population means that you are creating employment. Though the counter point may be that this way, the locals are getting weapons and they may support insurgent forces. But there is no way out. When trust is broken, no side wants to trust the other; to regain trust one has to make the first move. If India treats Kashmir like any other state and is able to provide education and employment to the citizens, I don't think any anti-social element will be able take advantage of the "gaps" to incite insurgency.

Why I hate chat engines?

I'm not a multi-tasking person.
I can chat to only one person at a time.
Also, when I wait for other person to respond, I do nothing at that time.
I hate when I anticipate some response and it takes 2 minutes to arrive.

Mail your MP to support Jan Lokpal bill

What if you contact the Member of Parliament (MP) of your area and let him know that he needs to pass a strong Lokpal bill to stay in power?

I have written a letter to Selija Kumari expressing my opinion. You can get the email-id of your MP from http://india.gov.in/govt/loksabhastwise.php.

I know I won't get a response, but at least this gives me a choosing criteria for my next vote. If some other candidate from my constituency listens to me and tries to be reasonable about this law, I'll vote for him.