I heard the strangest of tales last night about someone who had a cold and went to a major high street chemist. They tried to buy two packets of Lemsip over the counter and were told - in no uncertain terms - that they were not allowed to purchase two packets of decongestant analgesic because of the law.
Now there are certainly restrictions on the amount of analgesics (e.g. paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen) that can exist in a pack. And some stores do have voluntary policy limits. But as far as I can tell there is no law that states you cannot buy more than X at any one time.
15 comments:
sounds like Boots to me - they are paranoid about this
I was using Tesco self-service check out once and scanned a pack of paracetamol. Immediately someone came running over - presumably to check I wasn't buying multiple packs at once. Unfortunately, the whole reason I was using the self-service was as I was trying to subtly buy a pack of condoms. Scuppered.
It's not an EU law is it?
Most supermarkets operate this nannying style of sales techniques. I tried to buy a pack of Anadin extra for me, and some Children's Paracetemol for my daughter, who was standing next to me, and they refused to sell me both.
It's a result the health and safety run nanny state that this government has created.
The Medicines (Sale or Supply) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 1980 as amended in 1998 says pharmacies may not sell packs containing more than 32 non-effervescent tablets or capsules and may not lawfully supply more than 100 non-effervescent tablets or capsules, or a combination of both, to any one person at any one time. Supermarkets are restricted to 24 tablets to any one person at any one time.
But if you want to OD on paracetamol for example it just means you visit a few different shops. However research in the UK and Ireland does suggest that these minor restrictions do decrease the number of suicides.
I tried to by two tubes(one in reserve) of HC 45 cream. I had a devil of a job in Tesco's, irrespective that I could have gone to the pharmacy 100 yds down the road to get the other one...
Isn't there some limit on sales of pseudoephedrine (the degongestant) - because it is theoretically possible to stew it up and turn it into methamphetamine - Wikipedia probably gives full instructions.
Tsk.
Drug war shit. "pseudo ephedrine".
You might make meth out of it.
I thought about this earlier while buying two packs of paracetamol in Boots. I was wondering if they would try and stop me. They didn't. I have a major cold at the moment, was stocking up - also bought three packs of halls soothers and some olbas oil. Clearly looked ill rather than suicidal.
re anonymous 6.51 p.m.- whose research and on what basis does this show a reduction in suicides ?(and who cares.)
A group of us everytime we go to the States bring back bottles on 250 or 500 asprins
If you're going to commit suicide, use your credit card to buy a flight to Mexico.
What?
Supermarkets are supposed to be down to 16 (from the original 24).
Just google for the research and you'll find many examples. Hawton et al. at Centre for Suicide Research, Oxford, found after the introduction of the new law that deaths from paracetamol ODs decreased by 21% and aspirin deaths decreased 48%. Liver transplant after paracetamol ODs decreased by 66%. Non-fatal self-poisoning fell by 15%. The average number of tablets taken in paracetamol ODs decreased by 7% and the number of serious ODs (more than 32 tablets) decreased by 17%. Large aspirin ODs (over 32 tablets) decreased by 34%.
"The legislation was intended to reduce impulse overdoses which are usually made using whatever is to hand in the home. This it appears to have done."
"The legislators acknowledged that those seriously intent on suicide would probably not be deterred. Indeed, experience shows that there is little that is effective in preventing a serious attempt at suicide."
""The legislation was intended to reduce impulse overdoses which are usually made using whatever is to hand in the home. This it appears to have done.""
Well, only because there's no indication that they didn't use something else readily available in the home - bleach, oven cleaner, other drugs?
Or cut themselves instead....
Juliam said...
"Well, only because there's no indication that they didn't use something else readily available in the home - bleach, oven cleaner, other drugs?"
No so. The suicide rate in the UK has been falling staeadily since 1999.
"The suicide rate in the UK has been falling staeadily since 1999."
And that is solely because the type of person wont to decide to kill themselves on the spur of the moment can't buy more than 16 pills, so says 'sod it, I'll live'...? I find that hard to believe.
How about other factors? Better access to the Samaritans, better recovery techniques on overdose victims, etc...
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