Safe Speed Forums

The researchers, writing in the British Medical Journal, suggest that even more deaths may be avoided if the maximum pack size was decreased still further - possibly to 24 tablets.

"Since the new legislation, pharmacies and other retail outlets have usually allowed only one pack to be bought per transaction," they say.

"Although this does not prevent a customer visiting several outlets to amass a large supply of the drugs, the general effect of the legislation is to reduce the maximum number of analgesic tablets available for impulsive self poisoning.

"An even smaller maximum pack size for pharmacy sales might have had a greater impact still."

Paracetamol is the most common way of self-poisoning in the UK.

Dr Geoffrey Brandon, director of the Paracetamol Information Centre, said: "Paracetamol is used safely and effectively by most people including pregnant women and children, so a reduction in its misuse is particularly welcome.

"Current pack sizes now strike a realistic balance between availability for the millions of people who need a safe and effective pain reliever, and the tiny minority who misuse medicines for purposes of self-harm."

Overdoses of drug are also responsible for half of all cases of liver failure in this country.

Before the new laws, overdoses of paracetamol accounted for 40,000 hospital referrals a year and between 100 and 150 deaths.

Aspirin overdoses accounted for about 5,000 hospital admissions annually and about 60 deaths.

Cue Daily Mail report featuring reports of teenagers who died after a single tablet.
One example even confirmed that it was a contaminated tablet!

50 deaths were reported due to ecstasy - well you could cross off the contaminated one!
However a quick search revealed this from a BBC article discussing the reduction in pack sizes of aspirin and paracetamol:

Now I'm not sure about the Daily Mail's arithematic, but when I was at school, 60 and 100 were BOTH more than 50!

The real danger comes because you take them with WATER!

Ecstasy safer than aspirin eh Dicky? Gosh, next time I have a problem with blood clots, or a banging headache, I'll just pop a couple of doves and be right as rain then eh? What's that you say? Its safer but has no medicinal benefits? Gosh, isn't that awkward.

Living in bubbles, breathing filtered air, drinking sterilised water and being fed pasteurised food through a feeding tube (to avoid the risk of choking before you ask ) is a lot safer than life as we know it, but what benefit is there to living 120 years of boredom?

Everything we do is a risk/benefit compromise, Blunderstorm in particular, and the government in general, need to realise this! If they don't see the light soon, start buying shares in cotton-wool manufacturers!!!

If he wants to peddle this message let him take the honourable step and resign from his law enforcement role and take up a job as a campaigner for legalising all drugs.

Dont be daft - he'd get as much exposure as David Icke! Hang on a moe - Druids costume needs dyeing purple and he's there!

Blunders is so PR savvy he'd get as much PR as he wanted.

David Icke was/is a bit touched. Blunders is sly. I think.

He knows that his Force and All others have Failed to control the drugs issue and the ensueing crime wave.

prohibition always seems to cause more problems than the thing that is prohibited as the industry moves underground and ends up being run by violence.

A pertinant argument for this site as many believe that the "drive at what speed you feel safe at" prohibition is actually causing more harm than good (I dont' agree, but there is a parallel there).

Thats pretty much what I said to you on another thread about firearms, although you seemed to think differently then.

One example even confirmed that it was a contaminated tablet!

Now I'm not sure about the Daily Mail's arithematic, but when I was at school, 60 and 100 were BOTH more than 50!