Reduced Paracetamol pack sizes to prevent suicide

Senator Mary White has one of the most interesting ideas of the past while.

Mary White, Dublin Fianna Fáil Senator and campaigner on the prevention of suicide in Ireland, will present a motion at tonight’s Parliamentary Party meeting to call for the reduction of paracetamol pack sizes on sale in shops, supermarkets and petrol stations.

She points out that 1/3 deliberate overdoses in Ireland use paracetamol. Now it would be quiet easy to mock her for this suggestion . But first the use of paracetamol in suicides is quiet serious. I know someone who did actually try to kill themselves by this method and it is not a pleasant memory for me. Suicide is one of the biggest problems in our society and something we tend to ignore. And mostly when we think of suicides we think of jumping off bridges, overdosing on pain killers or use of firearms but often we overlook the fact that the methods people can be the use of such common items.

But that is the problem with Senator White’s proposal, it address a “tool” (for want of a better word) that is used in suicide not actual causes behind it. If people can’t obtain enough paracetamol to kill themselves will they simply find a different method?

She has written a very good paper on this topic and says on the paracetamol issue.

Leglislation to limit the sizes of packs of paracetamol and salicylate (aspirin) preparations was introduced in the UK in September 1998. A study by Keith Hawton, professor of psychiatry, Centre for Suicide Research, University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford evaluated the effects on suicidal behaviour 12 months after the introduction of the leglislation. The study showed that the number of deaths from self poisoning with paracetamol alone and with salicylates alone decreased after the leglislation and there was also a decrease in the number of liver transplants and admissions

But that does not tell us if the measure actually reduced suicides. To tell you the truth I am torn by this idea. On the one hand it seems unlikely that taking a “tool” away will do anything to reduce the numbers of deaths. But also the ease of acquiring paracetamol makes me wonder if it does make it easier to kill ones self, does that mean that if someone had to take a more difficult method say for instance walk 3 miles to a railway bridge would they in the extra time change their minds? I have no idea. Senator White has 30 difference suggestion in her policy paper some of them excellent. For instance.

The excellent rural public and community transport services should continue to be developed as an important way of allowing older people to participate in social activities and overcoming isolation.

Suicide has a link to economic well being as we saw with the Los Angeles financier killing himself, his wife, three sons and mother in law. It is something we can expect to see more about in the coming fee years. And should be talking about.