Paracetamol in supermarkets
Discussion
Was doing a bit of shopping in morrisons yesterday, with a middle aged respectable looking man being served in front of me. The last items he had were 2 packs of paracetamol and one big box of pain killers.
Woman at the till stops and calls her supervisor over to ask her if he is allowed to have all the medicine. Supervisor says that hes only 2 boxes!
I couldnt believe it, i mean he's obviously not going to try to take them all at once, so why not let him have the extra pack?
Okay I understand why this has been done, but why not limit it to kids or people who look like they might want to OD on paracetamol?
If I had been buying them I would have just gone out and in again and bought some more, I'm thinking of doing that just to spite the shop (not really, cant be bothered and dont need paracetamol)
I heard him ask something along those lines and they said that they would be watching him!
Some things dont half annoy me
Woman at the till stops and calls her supervisor over to ask her if he is allowed to have all the medicine. Supervisor says that hes only 2 boxes!
I couldnt believe it, i mean he's obviously not going to try to take them all at once, so why not let him have the extra pack?
Okay I understand why this has been done, but why not limit it to kids or people who look like they might want to OD on paracetamol?
If I had been buying them I would have just gone out and in again and bought some more, I'm thinking of doing that just to spite the shop (not really, cant be bothered and dont need paracetamol)
I heard him ask something along those lines and they said that they would be watching him!
Some things dont half annoy me
Drugs should be supplied or prescribed by those in a position to give information about them. IE doctors, pharmacists and nurses. I agree that small amounts i.e. 8 should be avalible from supermarkets and petrol stations to treat the occasional headache. But my mine problem is why does anyone need a large amount of pain killers at a time, ok for treating short term problems such as cold and flu but anyone needing longterm painkillers should be consulting a doctor. If you think paracetamol is bad ibuprofen is alot worse and I can think of no reason why it should be avalible without a consultation.
medicineman said:
Drugs should be supplied or prescribed by those in a position to give information about them. IE doctors, pharmacists and nurses. I agree that small amounts i.e. 8 should be avalible from supermarkets and petrol stations to treat the occasional headache. But my mine problem is why does anyone need a large amount of pain killers at a time, ok for treating short term problems such as cold and flu but anyone needing longterm painkillers should be consulting a doctor. If you think paracetamol is bad ibuprofen is alot worse and I can think of no reason why it should be avalible without a consultation.
In what way is buying a couple of boxes of paracetamol 'needing longterm painkillers'? There are four people in my household. Unsurprisingly, we all tend to have colds at the same time. Even now we have to stock up on paracetamol in several trips because of the stupid rules - now you're saying that we all have to go to the doctor every time? Because it's so easy to get short-notice appointments these days, and all the GPs are *so* underworked aren't they
medicineman said:
Drugs should be supplied or prescribed by those in a position to give information about them. IE doctors, pharmacists and nurses. I agree that small amounts i.e. 8 should be avalible from supermarkets and petrol stations to treat the occasional headache. But my mine problem is why does anyone need a large amount of pain killers at a time, ok for treating short term problems such as cold and flu but anyone needing longterm painkillers should be consulting a doctor. If you think paracetamol is bad ibuprofen is alot worse and I can think of no reason why it should be avalible without a consultation.
Why exactly should we need to go to a chemist every time we have a cold etc because we aren't allowed to purchase these drugs in reasonable quantities anymore.
Personally I don't think you should be allowed to buy bog roll in multiples of more than 1 roll. Why would you need 2 at once?
medicineman said:
Drugs should be supplied or prescribed by those in a position to give information about them.
I can see this catching on with alcohol and cigs. Why do you want a 4 crates of lager and 100 B&H, well doc its my stag, you know get smashed smoke a few tabs as you do.
Oh sorry I can only give you a 6 pack and 20 B&h
polarbert said:
I couldnt believe it, i mean he's obviously not going to try to take them all at once, so why not let him have the extra pack?
Okay I understand why this has been done, but why not limit it to kids or people who look like they might want to OD on paracetamol?
Some things dont half annoy me
So what does a suicidal person look like?
Please tell me, I've treated many of them when I was a Houseman, and I never noticed a pattern. There is no pattern, and in fact, the most motivated suicidals are often the most calculating, normal looking people.
Limiting the quantity of paracetamol sold to people is simply a way to try to abrogate responsibility for people that might OD on it, which is a particularly nasty way to go, as the liver fails, slowly.
cotty said:
..a bit like money laundering & buying number plates..they have to go through the motionss, but if you really want to buck the system it's easy
Yep go out with a nurse they can get you 400mg tablets rather than the 200mg's you get in normal packets
or.. just take 2 200mg tablets... 2 x 200mg = 400mg.
Ok D_Mike, ibuprofen is a good painkiller in single dose and a good anti inflammatory in multiple dose. Oh and heres news anti inflams are responsible for more deaths each year than cars! And why they are avalible without consultation is beyond me.
There is also another legal class of medication in this country, P medicines, Pharmacy only, you don't need a script, just the supervision of a pharmacist.
deckster. It isn't but for some people it is, how do we know if we don't ask? And who exactly asks in a supermarket?
DanH. Because drugs are dangerous, very dangerous, studies suggest that upto 10,000 people die each year due to drug problems. Going to a chemist (pharmacist)is hardly a big inconvience.
As you can gather drug safety and problem are a major part of my job.
At the end of the day I have alot of data on problems caused by drugs which I am quite happy to share with anyone who wants. Its not us professionals been either elist or nanny knows best. At the end of the day drugs that are required on a regualr basis are avalible with the appropriate advice from professionals when they are needed.
There is also another legal class of medication in this country, P medicines, Pharmacy only, you don't need a script, just the supervision of a pharmacist.
deckster. It isn't but for some people it is, how do we know if we don't ask? And who exactly asks in a supermarket?
DanH. Because drugs are dangerous, very dangerous, studies suggest that upto 10,000 people die each year due to drug problems. Going to a chemist (pharmacist)is hardly a big inconvience.
As you can gather drug safety and problem are a major part of my job.
At the end of the day I have alot of data on problems caused by drugs which I am quite happy to share with anyone who wants. Its not us professionals been either elist or nanny knows best. At the end of the day drugs that are required on a regualr basis are avalible with the appropriate advice from professionals when they are needed.
I dont really mind the idea of having to see a pharmacist to get hold of ibuprofen but a doctors appointment? Life's too short to waste time in a doctors surgery!
As someone who gets occasional migraines (twice a year or there abouts) ibuprofen is awesome! Turns a migraine into a mild annoying headache.
The problem with drugs by prescription is the incredible inconvienance of seeing the local doctor. Its worth it for serious conditions but not otherwise.
As someone who gets occasional migraines (twice a year or there abouts) ibuprofen is awesome! Turns a migraine into a mild annoying headache.
The problem with drugs by prescription is the incredible inconvienance of seeing the local doctor. Its worth it for serious conditions but not otherwise.
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