Nanny does seem to like interfering in the minutiae of our daily lives. I wonder why it is that she seems to have nothing better to do with her time.There are more important issues such as; pensions, the health service, transport and the ever rising costs of the public sector to address.
However, instead, she devotes her time to trivia.
I found myself on the receiving end of one aspect of her obsession with trivia the other day.
I went to my local pharmacy to buy 3 packets of a migraine relief treatment for my partner Eva, who is over in Sweden at the moment and cannot buy it there.
Unfortunately, Nanny's rules only permit the purchase of one packet. Seemingly, in her mind, I am not adult enough or intelligent enough to be trusted with more than one packet.
Needless to say the good people at the pharmacy also thought that this rule is absolute nonsense. After a discrete chat it was decided, in the spirit of the war time black market, that I could purchase the requisite 3 packets.
As the good people of the pharmacy said, were I stupid enough to overdose on the pills at least I wouldn't have a headache.
This silly little rule brought to mind another trivial rule, brought in by Nanny, that lacked common sense and was of course unenforceable.
Those of you with long memories will recall the beef on the bone ban, this was equally easily flouted; the Frost family always managed to acquire their Sunday roast on the bone during that daft period.
There is another amazingly simple way to get round this currently. If you want to commit suicide (I believe that is what Nanny wishes to avoid) visit three pharmacies.
ReplyDeleteAnyone want to bet how long after the introduction of ID cards somebody puts forward the idea of tracking medicine sales?
If someone wants to edit themselves from the human race, that is their own affair. Trying to legislate against the means is rather like banning rivers and lakes to stop people who want to drown themselves. The determined will always find ways around the rules.
ReplyDeleteSad, but true.
Chris, I think you'll find even three visits to the same pharmacy will e fine, either stagger them or ensure service by a different person.
ReplyDeleteThat one law alone should have caused mass demonstrations, but alas i fear many of us secretly like being nannied.
ReplyDeleteEither that, or we have become so used to it that being told not to buy more than one packet of headache pills seems like a good idea....it's for our saaafety.
Great site, I've been reading since the beginnning (now it's even easier because i'm using RSS).
ReplyDeleteThis particular ban is what I am planning to write about for my dissertation, I'm currently deciding whether to look at the quantity sold (decreased dramatically), suicide rate (unsure about), or consistency of the suicide rate (are the various forms of suicide in a way, substitutes, for each other).
I do agree it's a pain though, I buy a pack of painkillers every so often, in packs of 16 (what you can legally buy/sell), you will of course need more packs for the same amount of tablets, meaning you will run out (and consequently be without) more often (unless you can plan your usage perfectly).
What was evenb worse was when I had tonsilitis, and was taking 8 a day, I felt so bad. I can't think of many things more fun than every 2 days having to drag yourself to the shop when you feel ill. Thankfully I live with other students who didn't mind nipping to the shop when they went to campus etc. were I living alone, or not have people to rely on (or people as mobile, in the case of the elderly) the situation would have been a lot worse.
Thanks Anthony
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoy the site.
Please do mention it in your disertation.
Fully agreed, the rules are daft. I can still go an buy 1 packet of pain killers, a packet of laxitive and a bottle of vodka all at the same time.
I would imagine that I could send myself across the Styx on that little combination, without too much trouble.
Ken