I recently had colon-rectal surgery and as part of my medication regimen my doctor instructed me to get Colace, a stool softener, which is available over-the-counter. Except for the fact that when I went to get it, it was behind a locked glass cabinet like the ones they keep the condoms, personal lubricant (don’t get me started on this. I used to be embarrassed asking for this stuff but now I always tell the clerks loudly and clearly that I need the cabinet unlocked so I can get some anal lube), and razor blades in. Not only did they have to unlock the cabinet, but she told me she had to walk it up to the register for me, I couldn’t take it myself.
Why on earth would they keep this stuff locked up? Are there stool softener addicts out there fiending for it or something? Consider my comprehension defied.
Probably just for theft deterrence. I work in retail - and while we don’t have our items behind glass we do have to keep a close eye on them. Remember, a box of condoms is fairly expensive and can be very easy to conceal. Stool softeners (for that particular store) may also be a high theft item.
Right, but why would they be higher theft than any of the other rows and rows of OTC medications? That’s what’s baffling me. It was $6.99 for a box of 10… so I guess a little pricey, but for medication, not really.
Maybe it can be used to synthesize another product, similar to Pseudoephedrine being a behind the counter drug now, and all products containing lye having to be reformulated. I’m sure someone in law enforcement could give us the straight dope on that.
I’m guessing it is because anorexics (bulimics? both?) will abuse laxatives to help them keep their weight down. If someone is abusing something without their own money flow (such as a teenager living with her parents) they will have to keep their acquisition secret. Theft achieves that.
It’s available on the shelves of the supermarkets here in Oz. I can’t imagine that it’d be a) worth stealing or b) transformable into something an addict might want.
I work in a drugstore and I’ve noticed a lot of the empty or tampered-with boxes we find are for things that might be embarrassing for some people to buy. Condoms, feminine hygiene products, anti-diarrheals, anti-fungals, denture adhesive… Of course, a drugstore has a lot of things that are potentially embarrassing to buy, by nature of being a drugstore, but these types of things seem to be the majority of what we find stolen.
Sodium is just the counterion. The structure is here. Note the sulfonate. Anyway, considering the complex structure, I can’t imagine it’d be a good starting material for much of anything.
? I didn’t say I had a problem getting the clerk to get it for me, I’m just wondering why the hell it’s set up that way. (Although the price there is much better than the drugstore’s price)
Whether those are locked up or not is apparently a matter of the store’s discretion, as you can get stool softeners, condoms, and/or lubricants all by yourself at many U.S. stores. It’s not as if every store makes it as inconvenient as the store the OP describes does.
Here’s another post to chime in on “theft deterrence.” I stock the OTC department of a large chain, and we made an in-store decision to keep only single boxes of Colace, Peri-Colace, and 100 ct. Dulcolax on the shelves due to their unusually frequent theft. While OTC and not ready precursors to illicit drugs, they’re significantly more expensive than other laxatives ($10-20, while generics of each run $3), embarrassing to purchase for many people, and very small and easily slipped into a pocket or purse. And, in general, products recommended by doctors tend to be stolen quite often-- not sure if it’s because people feel poor after spending $50+ for an office visit, or if doctors typically recommend expensive brand names when cheap generics exist.
Oh, and yes, there are laxative/stool softener addicts. Frequent use causes your body to become reliant on them; one of our more persistent laxative thieves turned out to be a coworker-- she was stealing 2-3 100 ct. boxes of Dulcolax a week to maintain regularity.
The weirdest thing our pharmacy has to keep locked up: cookie-dough-flavored Balance Bars. If we set any out, they will be stolen. No other flavors… just cookie dough.
I live in LA and these products are available on the shelf, not locked up, in at least two drugstores and the grocery store that I know of for sure. Must be a quirk of that particular store or chain.
