What you said about priorities makes a lot of sense. Thank you for enlightening me. But it doesn't quite clear up things for me. So laws differ because priorities differ but why would priorities differ?

I know that for example Desoxyn is legally available in some places (if you have a prescription, you may buy Desoxyn) and not in some other places (Desoxyn cannot be prescribed in the first place).

But what about a medication that is legally available in two places (states or countries), but then one place requires a prescription but the other place doesn't?

Definitely wherever Ritalin is legally available, it would necessarily require a prescription. I really don't see how this is a matter of priorities. I mean shouldn't we be surprised if we find out there's a country where Ritalin is legally available and doesn't require a prescription? I mean Inderal is the same everywhere so if one country says people should consult doctors before taking Inderal, why wouldn't another country say so? It's the same medication.

The only thing that comes to mind is that Inderal isn't exactly on the same level as Ritalin or Desoxyn because it doesn't have high potential for abuse. Is that it? So the thing you said about priorities comes into play?