It looks like Polar Pure might be shutting down due to the owner being unwilling to cooperate with and bear the expense of federal drug enforcement policies. Polar Pure is a water disinfectant that uses iodine crystals in a small glass bottle. A big benefit of it is a long shelf life, even after opening.

A tiny blip on the general public's radar, but a good-sized loss for backpackers and "preppers" everywhere.

Federal agents say 88-year-old Saratoga man's invention is being used by meth labs

Bonehead bureaucracy at it's best...which is to say worst.

As I understood the product the iodine was bound in a form not easily utilized by home chemists.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Can someone clear up a question I have? Is Mr. Wallace the actual person behind the Polar Pure brand? Because I see references to "Polar Pure" in quotes, meaning his iodine product is only similar to Polar Pure.

Meth cookers don't have to use iodine. Heck, with the rising popularity of DIY "shake 'n bake" recipes (that don't include any iodine, by the way), meth users can skip the meth cookers completely.

It does seem unfortunate that a superior product with a (highly) legitimate purpose is being removed from the shelves in the name of fighting meth.

HJ

The quotes appear only the first time that the term "Polar Pure" appears in the article, but not thereafter. So that means the article is just introducing a new term with the quotes. These are not scare quotes, which is what you're thinking of. So I do believe this article does not imply Mr. Wallace makes "off-brand" Polar Pure.

The situation sounds dreadfully absurd. I like how Mr. Wallace combats the Ministry of Silly Walks:



For those who didn't read the article, Buddy is his old faithful dog.

DB

Contempt of cop. Won't end well.

Next Coleman stove fuel will become illegal. Then lye. It makes no sense to me. Then again, much of what the government does makes no sense to me.

It's been had to find lye for years due to meth lab chemistry issues. Soapmakers have been up in arms over this issue for quite a while.

-Blast

I have a few extra bottle of Polar Pure on the shelf. Might have to sell one on eBay for $100 or so...!

Gak? I think that was the sound I made after drinking water treated with Polar Pure!

*sighs*

I think that's enough of a comment on yet another sorry case of the government's half wit brigade hurting and harassing innocent people rather than enforcing the damn law.

Personally, I would prefer that the meth-makers and the meth-users be left alone to make and use their crap. Then there would be fewer makers and users to make and use it.

Sue

While I agree in general about leaving x-users and x-makers alone, meth is a special case due to the huge hazardous materials issues the meth labs cause.

Actually, even if meth was legal, it doesn't mean you can't protect the public from improper use of hazardous materials.

Use and handling of chemicals hazardous to the public are still regulated and those regulations should be adhered to and enforced.

Lots of companies safely use hazardous materials in the creation of products.

When things are visible, they can be regulated and monitored. When they are forced underground, anything goes.

-john

You are 100% correct. I was thinking in terms of "enforcement priorities" rather than legalization.