To be annoyed with the Co-op’s painkiller policy

[LunaLoveLemon]

Just popped into the co-op for a takeaway coffee on my way home from the nursery run (awful habit, I know). Thought I’d get stock up on painkillers whilst I was there as it’s cold/flu season. Picked up one packed of ibuprofen, one of paracetamol, and some cold and flu sachets. So two products containing paracetamol, and one of ibuprofen. Not against any sales restrictions AFAIK and certainly not an excessive amount.

The woman at the counter then tells me that I can’t buy three packets of any painkillers. I can’t recall ever having this problem before in any shops? Usually it’s been two of each drug. I’ve just checked the guidelines and two packets of ANY painkiller does appear to be the Best Practice guideline on the .gov website (although not law)! So I suppose I can’t really take issue with it.

But AIBU to think that this is excessively restrictive? I’m a healthcare professional fwiw so do understand the risks wrt overdose. But equally, being able to buy enough painkillers to get you through a few days of illness doesn’t seem unreasonable!

This policy has reduced the number of deaths by suicide.

It’s the same policy everywhere, hope you feel better soon OP.

It is standard in all non-pharmacy shops. 32 tablet maximum.
If you need more go to a pharmacy.

Most shops have a limit .

Asda stoppe us too. We just walked around, split up and stocked up

Are there numbers to show it reduced suicides?

I think it's perfectly reasonable. Not everyone realised the cold and flu stuff is actually paracetamol.

I always thought it's because diy drug making😳

I don’t really understand it. If someone wants to overdose they will just go to several stores or is it accidental overdose?

Surely, if you really y want to end your life, you go to multiple shops to buy tablets ?

The issue is how do you know who's looking for a few days worth of painkillers and who's looking at getting them to OD or something?

Yeh that’s standard, even in boots if you’re not at the pharmacy counter that’s all the till will let you put through. Just buy some another time.

You got lucky buying that amount, the idiot in my local Co-op wouldn't let me buy a packet or paracetamol and a packet of ibuprofen, it had to be one or the other.

I’ve only ever experienced there being a restriction on individual drugs, rather than painkillers in general.

Ibuprofen is metabolised in the kidneys, paracetamol is metabolised by the liver. It would be difficult to fatally overdose off of a relatively small amount of each.

It was ever thus. Just go to a pharmacy or another shop. Hardly highly restrictive. It is a very slight inconvenience.

Well yes if you werre detemined ,to overdose ot wouldnt be difficult to go to different shops ?

Yes, that's the policy in sainsburys too.

Most suicide attempts are impulsive so if you have to physically stop and think about what you're doing (by going to multiple shops) it can prevent harm.

It won't prevent accidental overdose as you can overdose on a standard pack of 16 paracetamol if you take them too quickly.

I don’t really understand it. If someone wants to overdose they will just go to several stores or is it accidental overdose?

It's to stop impulsive overdoses.

www.ox.ac.uk/news/2013-02-08-smaller-packs-paracetamol-have-reduced-overdose-deaths-43

You get it everywhere. - I tried to buy flu capsules for me, infant calpol for my twins and over 6 calpol for my eldest at boots last week and they refused until I kicked up a fuss - I had the kids with me so it was clear I needed 3 different products!

My argument exactly. Anyone intent on suicide won't be put off by being unable to buy more than 32 paracetamol in a single shop.

Yea but it makes it that little bit more difficult and slows down the process

Honestly I get how irritating it is but saving lives takes precedent over convenience here personally I have a stock in because I wake up with back pain regularly and it's easier than going to the chemist when I'm in pain

Suicide attempts are often quite impulsive (even if the person has had suicidal feelings for a long time). Delaying the person's ability to buy enough tablets does result in the urge to act passing in many cases. It's a policy that works. Not in every case, of course. But often.

(I work with very suicidal people.)

Yes, it was always the policy in shops. I remember making 2 trips in one day to our local Sainsbury’s 15 years ago when we all went down with a cold.

When I was 14 I took most of the bottle of 100 paracetamol that my grandma had in her cupboard, it was very much a spur of the moment thing and wouldn't have happened if I had to go to a few shops (and also get them all out of the blister packs, these were just loose in a glass bottle)