Well, some people are unwise enough to visit psychics, shamans and witch doctors instead of actual medicine doctors; I guess this law is supposed to make life harder for self-trained surgeon wannabes.
It’s not, strictly speaking. I can buy OTC anesthetics myself; lidocaine is in many sunburn creams, for example, and I can apply them to somebody without a medical license.
However, the anesthetics which are used during major surgery are (as far as I know, all) controlled substances, on account of their narcotic properties.
I think you are confusing Anesthetics and Narcotics / Opioids. Like you said, Lidocaine is an anesthetic and in some formulations it is available OTC. As far as I know the injectible form is Prescription only, but there is a difference between being Prescription only & being a Controlled substance (like Morphine, for instance).
So, an action by itself is not assault, but if you do the same action but make sure it doesn’t hurt the patient, it is assault?
Well, some people are unwise enough to visit psychics, shamans and witch doctors instead of actual medicine doctors; I guess this law is supposed to make life harder for self-trained surgeon wannabes.
It seems likely to me that assault isn’t involved in this at all, it’s just illegal to buy or administer anesthetics without a medical license.
Why is it illegal to buy or administer anesthetics without a medical license? Just defending the monopoly or is there some legitimate reason?
It’s not, strictly speaking. I can buy OTC anesthetics myself; lidocaine is in many sunburn creams, for example, and I can apply them to somebody without a medical license.
However, the anesthetics which are used during major surgery are (as far as I know, all) controlled substances, on account of their narcotic properties.
I think you are confusing Anesthetics and Narcotics / Opioids. Like you said, Lidocaine is an anesthetic and in some formulations it is available OTC. As far as I know the injectible form is Prescription only, but there is a difference between being Prescription only & being a Controlled substance (like Morphine, for instance).