yes it will work(to my knowledge). they say that, I believe, to try and get people not to use it recreationally. the hbr is part of the DXM. it stands for Dextromethorphan Hybromide. Don't know how long they will take to kick in. When drinking the syrup, it has taken about an hour or so for the initial effects. Dont expect anything before an hour or two. I think gelcaps take longer to work. Could be wrong though, never tried the caps.