# Canada, acetaminophen and alcohol **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 9, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140 "2003-05-09T16:30:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140/21 "2003-05-10T09:32:51Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Pjen \* > However, it seems to be culture bound and continues to be a problem. The law now only allows acetaminophen/paracetamol to be sold blister packed, and in small numbers, and you can only buy two packs at a time. This at least slows down the decision making process._\* On the contrary; I think this causes potential suicides to quickly leap to incorrect and regretable conclusions. When they see the tight restrictions placed upon the sale of paracetamol, they will think, “Gee, this must be a dangerously fatal drug. So many people commit suicide with it that the government has made it available only in small quantities. It must work very well – at relatively small doses, and perhaps very quickly. Ergo I shall use it for my suicide.” ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140/22 "2003-05-10T09:33:04Z")
Thanks for the yes. I know how to use Google. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140/23 "2003-05-10T12:22:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by donkeyoatey \* > \*\*Can you get the caplets with acetaminophen/caffeine/codeine in the U.K. **Pjen**? \*\* Yes, Boots sells them, and they also sell codeine-containing cough medicine over the counter as well - which is the only thing that actually stops a persistent cough which I get. ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140/24 "2003-05-10T14:42:36Z")
Something needs clarification. The paracemetol sold in the UK and Australia contains **codeine**. That is why it is sold in packs of 20 or less. You cannot buy codeine over the counter in the US. You can buy big bottles of acetaminophen - which here are codeine-less. ---
**Author:** ![Mad\_Matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Mad\_Matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mad_Matt)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140/25 "2003-05-10T15:40:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CBCD \* > \*\*Something needs clarification. The paracemetol sold in the UK and Australia contains **codeine**. \*\* No. The paracetemol sold in the UK is paracetemol. While you can buy preparations with paracetemol and codine over the counter in the UK, a pack of **paracetemol** contains no codine. The rationale behind limiting the number of tablets sold to a customer is to prevent self-harm, as mentioned a few times previously in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140/26 "2003-05-10T16:41:02Z")
> [@](#): > > **Canada, acetaminophen and alcohol** What are three cures for insomnia? \ ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140/27 "2003-05-11T12:43:02Z")
Mad Matt - I stand corrected, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140/28 "2003-05-11T19:29:31Z")
Thanks **Anthracite**. You got what I left out, OTC. The reason I ask **Pjen** , is that I find them much more effective and pretty cheap. I’ve got a bottle of 200 here, a little under 1/2 full that I bought around a year ago for $7.99(Can). ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140/29 "2003-05-11T21:43:01Z")
The incidence of paracetamol related suicides and suicide attempts has fallen significantly since the law was passed. It’s also the case here in Ireland that paracetamol is sold only in small packs. Personally I find the stuff next to useless for pain relief, but each to his own. Been trying Distalgaesic (Co-Proxamol) this month, wears off exactly on the 4 hour mark and made me a little high. I’ll be sticking to Codeine and Ibuprofen in the future. ---
**Author:** ![j.c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140/30 "2003-05-12T01:42:00Z")
[quoteT] he rationale behind limiting the number of tablets sold to a customer is to prevent self-harm, as mentioned a few times previously in this thread. [/quote] As I understand it, not just self-harm by suicide but also by accident. The diff between a dose and an overdose is small. The packaging is to remind you, the happy consumer, that this is dangerous stuff. Same deal as child-proof caps on ant poison. An adult can easily get the cap off and drink it, but the fact of the child-proof cap, and various signs, is a reminder that this is DANGER DANGER DANGER. Soon, all potentially harmful substances will be dispensed by large wobbly-armed robots who refer to consumers as Will Robinson. ---
**Author:** ![j.c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140/31 "2003-05-12T01:44:17Z")
Oh, for the power to edit our format errors! ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140/32 "2003-05-12T03:40:22Z")
Why acetominophen, though? As far as I know, its far more easy to overdose on, say, aspirin than it in on Tylenol. It would take several grams of ac. to cause liver failure, no? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140/33 "2003-05-12T03:58:52Z")
As an emerg (A&E) doc, I assure you acetaminophen overdose is generally more severe than aspirin overdose. Most people can safely take four grams a day of acetaminophen; for many people a toxic dose would be above 150 mg/kg. Few people who overdose on Tylenol realize how toxic this stuff is. I’m sure that far more people take it impulsively than would seek it out because it is sold in small quantities in the UK. That said, paracetamol is pretty cheap in Canada. You need to go to a laboratory supply company to get 99% pure alcohol if the 40% Alcool mixer won’t suit you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-acetaminophen-and-alcohol/174140.md?page=1)