Is this the most pointless rule/law/legislation ever....

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I was in the chemist buying something for the weekend (only joking) when the lady a few spaces in front of me asked for some paracetamol and the girl behind the counter told her she could only buy one box of 32, as they are only allowed to sell this amount at any one time. So the lady bought the box and went over to the the other till and asked for another box , take note here that both tills within 8 feet of each other, which the girl sold her. The lady then went and joined my queue again ........

I asked the girl behind the till about this and she said that they can only sell 32 tablets at a time but there is no restriction on how many times you can approach a counter for a box......:confused: or as she stated walk into the supermarket and buy some more....
 
It's pointless in it's implementation, but with a good reason behind it.

As I understand it, an overdoes of paracetamol leads to a very painful certainty of death. The rules (it's not legislation as far as I am aware) is to make it difficult to get enough to lead to an overdose. Of course you can't stop someone going from one supermarket/chemists to another, collecting as many as they like. But that's likely to be the determined suicidal and you aren't going to stop them.

The 'casual' cry for help type it might prevent stop some of. But clearly not if someone can see it happening in the same shop and does nothing about it.
 
As little as ten paracetamol, taken all at once, can lead to death due to liver failure in some people, so the packs of 16 / limit of 32 is pointless.
 
as ruth said paracetamol can be a good method of despatching ones self.

however as said the implementation of the control is a little patchy. that and you can go to your GP and get a prescription for huge amounts. my nan had 100's at a time for various conditions.
 
It seems to be implemented in most supermarkets etc selling it, but I have never ever been told to do so at work, or seen any kind of paperwork about any official policy. Some of the other staff do as above, and I've been asked by customers if they need to be 16 to buy it, which again I have seen no policy on.
 
Agreed its largely pointless as i've fallen foul of this a few times in supermarkets when buying a few meds at once e.g. calpol, paracetamol and ibuprofen. All that they do is make you buy two lots per purchase so you just end up buying them separately so you still end up with everything you wanted.
 
The guidance allows for two packs to be sold, but makes it illegal to sell more than 100 tablets in one transaction - http://www.mhra.gov.uk/NewsCentre/Pressreleases/CON065559 - nothing to do with "being sued" @ecoleman

Adding steps that delay a suicide attempt can be sucessful with those not fully determined to succeed. Every act of purchase is an interaction and reconsideration point. Paracetamol is a very poor choice of instrument.
 
Part of the problem with Paracetamol overdose is that you don't feel "poorly" straight away and unless you seek medical attention by the time you are poorly it is often too late. So to my mind anything that makes people have to think about it has to be a good one.
 
As above, it's to create a barrier. Build enough and you might prevent one death. Someone really determined isn't gonna be bothered.

As for 100 at a time, normally the GP would have seen the patient for the first prescription at least.
 
I noticed this years ago when trying to buy it at Costco. I then had a personal membership and wasn't allowed. Now I've got a company membership and I can buy loads :)
 
No. The most pointless law I have come across is a new American one in Fort Lauderdale which makes it illegal to share food in public. A WWII veteran and two priests were arrested a couple of days ago for feeding homeless people.


Steve.
 
Steve Smith said:
No. The most pointless law I have come across is a new American one in Fort Lauderdale which makes it illegal to share food in public. A WWII veteran and two priests were arrested a couple of days ago for feeding homeless people.


Steve.
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That is just a ridiculous law.......whoever wrote that needs a good kick in the ass
 
As an A&E nurse in London many years ago, my sister was often in attendance when (mainly) teenage girls would come into University College Hospital having overdosed on Paracetomol.

They would do what they could and the patient would be released to go home within a couple of days. For the parents they would often thank the staff for 'saving' their child, only to be advised that theif child would suffer liver failure within 18 months.

All because of a 'boyfriend' dumping the girl and that certainly saw the patient when they returned some time later where they would pass away.

In those days (30 years ago), Boots sold bottles of 50 and 100 tablets.

The reduction in amounts that could be sold did little to stop overdosing but certainly pushed the price up.

My sidter evengually specialised as a cardiac nurse specialist but still feels sad at the days of 'silly little girls' (as she called them) killing themselves over a boy.

Sad.
 
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not really a silly law. Theres many drugs sold on an OTC basis that can only be bought like this, why do you feel you should be able to/need to buy more?
 
boyfalldown said:
not really a silly law. Theres many drugs sold on an OTC basis that can only be bought like this, why do you feel you should be able to/need to buy more?
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I think point is that the "law" is easy to circumvent,
and "she" proved this by going from one till to the next,
rather than a cap on actual limits purchased.
 
Cobra said:
I think point is that the "law" is easy to circumvent,
and "she" proved this by going from one till to the next,
rather than a cap on actual limits purchased.
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oh I agree. One could almost as easily go chemist to chemist on the high street too. Thats not a reason not to have the law. It sounds in this case like the store's implementation is flawed.
 
boyfalldown said:
oh I agree. One could almost as easily go chemist to chemist on the high street too. Thats not a reason not to have the law. It sounds in this case like the store's implementation is flawed.
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If you follow the guidance link I gave above it's "per transaction", so going from one till to another counts as a seperate transaction and is legal.


The most unusual purchase policy I've come across though is HSS hire shops.. some good friends moved house about five years ago and after moving in decided to tackle a couple of the more pressing problems the previous owner had left behind before getting too established. She'd do the inside and he'd tackle the worst of the jungle of a garden. Who'd have thought that the simultaneous weekend hire of a heavy duty garden shredder and a carpet shampooer would cause so much concern?
 
If someone is 100% determined to kill themselves then they will manage, regardless of any rules that get in their way.

However, many people with suicidal thoughts and ideation will plan an attempt - and possibly even begin it - but not successfully 'see it through'.

Having these little annoyances and barriers may just stumble someone enough to cause them to think twice / call off an attempt. Can interrupt the flow of someone acting quickly and impulsively.


Linky linky:
Hawton et al. Long term effect of reduced pack sizes of paracetamol on poisoning deaths and liver transplant activity in England and Wales: interrupted time series analyses. BMJ 2013;346:f403

Estimated that the sale limitations account for a 35-40% decrease in deaths from paracetamol poisoning (suicide, open, and accidental).

From the discussion:
"The effect of the 1998 legislation on pack sizes of paracetamol is likely to reflect the fact that many people who intentionally overdose with paracetamol take what is available in the household, especially if the overdose is impulsive. Also, when people purchase drugs specifically for the purpose of an overdose, the amount of paracetamol available would have been more limited after the legislation, probably even if multiple purchases are made."
 
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Alastair said:
Who'd have thought that the simultaneous weekend hire of a heavy duty garden shredder and a carpet shampooer would cause so much concern?
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PMSL I love it :thumbs:
 
neil_g said:
and incidentally im not sure that mental health issues can be classed as "silly".
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Neil

That was 30 years ago and I am not sure mental health was seen as a factor. More upset and reactive action.. We have come a long way over the years in dealing

Paracetomol use as a way out was not seen as a killer as other types of drugs are. (A good friend overdosed on heroin when his business failed and his partner left him - a very together gut or so we thought).

My sistee was always upset when the girls came in and at the time she was dealing with girls not that much younger than her. Still doing the job and close to 31 years since she was registered.

Steve
 
Well, I've worked for Leeds City Council for 15 years and my wife for 30 years, we have an email stating we have to supply proof of ID for immigration purposes :)

As for the OP, yeah, I don't really get it. I get the liability take, though.

Cheers.
 
posiview, all companies are going through this. It just covers there @rse when the immigration people turn up and say prove X and Y are entitled to work in this country. Just because you have an "English" name and an NI number doesn't mean you are entitled to work in the UK
 
Surely the point of the law is to prevent the situation where households can have large bottles of paracetamol lying around.

If you're sufficiently determined to kill yourself that you're willing to go out and buy drugs specifically for the purpose, then as everyone has observed the policy doesn't make much difference. It's a small obstacle which is easily overcome. It might deter a few such people, but that's not the main objective.

The main objective is to prevent people using paracetamol to make "cry for help" suicide attempts. I believe (without having done any research) that many or most such occurrences are not premeditated and people will use whatever is to hand. And the trouble with paracetamol is that it is surprisingly effective. If there isn't a large bottle of paracetamol lying around, they'll have to use something else - which will probably lead to a higher probability of survival.
 
neil_g said:
and incidentally im not sure that mental health issues can be classed as "silly".
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I agree with that, however I also don't think that every "suicide" attempt made by a half cut girl after a nightclub late night dumping can be classed as a mental health issue.
 
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