In 2007 I wrote about being refused Alka Seltzer in my own club, and wondered at the time why such a harmless substance is deemed to be so dangerous.
Well here we are some five years later, and the other day I received my home delivery of Sainsburys' groceries (the usual items; gallons of booze, some food, Alka Seltzer etc etc).
The bill, when it is presented, always identifies the "age restricted" items (ie booze and fags). Therefore imagine my surprise to observe this time, that Alka Seltzer is now classified as "age restricted".
What the fark!!??
I appreciate that some "over the counter" medicines, if overused by cretinous teenagers for "fun", can be dangerous. However, what on earth is the danger presented by Alka Seltzer and what on earth would a teenager want to do with it other than cure his/her hangover?
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ReplyDeleteIt is crazy I know but I suspect it is because it contains asprin which not everyone can take.....It does seem daft to me as Alka Seltzer has been around for decades and I know of no cases where someone has been seriously harmed by Alka Seltzer abuse.....I do remember a few years ago, hearing that some teenagers have been known to snort Alka Seltzer....I don't know what the effect would be, other than making someone sneeze.....Nanny's world is indeed a crazy world.
Well, I have to say I tried Alka Seltzer once and I have been on the Big Dipper in Blackpool ever since. It has effected every ounce of my body as I go up and down all day long, throwing up but never having got off because I'm addicted .............
DeleteSpeaking as a retired psychiatric nurse, specializing in forensic nursing, I am genuinely interested in what part of Alka Seltzer you feel you're addicted to; Is it the carbonated (fizzy) water, the antacid or the asprin? What withdrawl symptoms do you suffer if you try to stop taking the product?
DeleteI know in the 1960s people mixed Alka Seltzer with a well known fizzy drink to create a small high however, the active ingredient that reacted with the asprin in Alka Seltzer to create the psychactive compound, was removed around 1970 making it redundant for that purpose.
I know that some people with eating disorders used Alka Seltzer to induce vomiting but that is not aphysical addiction as such, more obcessive behaviour.
I also know that some people cannot take asprin due to gastric related problems and that some, especially on blood thining medication, such as warfrin, shouldn't take it because of the blood thining affect of asprin but again, until anon's comment, I have never heard of any real harm caused by Alka Seltzer when taken correctly as directed.
Maybe those who are misusing Alka Seltzer, to the point of self harm, should take the product out of the foil wrapper before they snort it up their noses?
DeleteVery funny Ken!!
DeleteSorry about the typos.....I must write out "obsessive" one hundred times:-)
I did my weeks shopping at my local Sainsburys and found out they have a policy of selling no more than two packets of painkillers (the law apparently). I had four packs.
ReplyDeleteFortunately the old lady on the checkouts had some common sense and she put two packs through with my shopping and the other two through separately after.
This 2 packs of painkillers really gets me... I went to the chemist and got 100 tramadol on prescription, (i take them alternately with paracetamol) but i can only buy 2 packs of 16 paracetamol. When I queried it and said why do I have to return 3 times to get enough to match the tramadol, I'm told it's the law and I might overdose duhhhhhhhhhhh. Well first it's not the law it's just their policy and do they not think if i was gonna kill myself I wouldn't need paracetamol the 100 tramadol would do the trick?
DeleteIt is the law, brought about because of the 'apparent' increase in people overdosing
DeleteI wonder if the convoluted logical chain does not go something like this:
ReplyDelete1. People take Alka-Seltzer to cope with hangovers after having a boozy night.
[Personally, I always drink a couple of pints of tap water after boozing and before I crash into bed - therefore don't need Alka-Seltzer in the morning.]
2. Children/Teenagers should not have hangovers, because they should not drink booze.
3. If kids know that Alka-Seltzer is not available for the morning after, they won't booze.
As I write, my younger son (to be 17 in September) is spending a night across the other side of the town (Plovdiv, Bulgaria) with another friend watching all 4 Pirates of the Caribbean films and swigging whisky. As far as I know the friend's Mum and Dad are in the next room in case somebody needs heaving into bed, or some puke needs mopping up. Am I worried? Well, as I got smashed out of my tiny mind a healthy number of times at that age,
amd survived to tell the tale; not really.
Luckily in Bulgaria they don't run to Alka-Seltzer; the approved cure is tripe soup with lots of garlic and cayenne pepper, washed down with some lager. My son's friend's Mum put the tripe in the pressure-cooker this morning - obviously the right sort of Mum!
I had a similar sort of experience to yours when I went to buy some Solpadiene in Wales a few weeks ago: had to listen to a pious lecture about the addictive effects and other crap from a girl half my age; then sign some daft document to say they were only for my consumption and I wouldn't supply them to minors.
Something which I really hate is when I innocently buy something over the counter at a pharmacy, say ferrous sulphate, and I am asked "have you taken this medicine previously". My urge is to reply, "mind your own fucking business"
ReplyDeletePharmacists have been given an increasingly 'important' role in recent years as the government aims to privatise the health service - although we still have to pay national insurance!!
ReplyDeleteApparently it was added to the POM because 'some sources' (???) state upwards of 5% of teenagers are experimenting with over the counter drugs to get high. Specifically all medications containing DXM (Dextromethorphan) a cough suppressant (either as a primary active ingredient or simply an addition). Supposedly they swallow upwards of 80 tablets, sachets etc. of whatever they can get their hands on. The effects of DXM high are allegedly similar to Ecstasy (its a dissociative apparently. Oh, and no evidence of addiction or harmful effects, the problems are related to mixing with other meds such as SSRIs, etc.).
ReplyDeleteYou can guess my opinion due to my unconscious use of 'supposedly' 'apparently' and 'allegedly'. The best bit is that I can't find any evidence that Alka-Seltzer actually contains any DXM.
Typical! Nanny at her best!
Surely though, even if Alka Seltzer contained some "naughty" additive, it would still be cheaper to buy 1 tablet of ecstasy than 80 sachets of Alka Seltzer???
DeleteOh please, Ken! Common Sense?
DeleteYou'll be expecting Nanny to start believing in 'personal responsibility' next, that'll happen just after they start believing in right and wrong and just before they balance the budget. I'm not holding my breath.
I just wonder who is making money off this little hysterical reaction (oops, my cynical side is leaking!).
I am addicted to Alka Selzter I have tried many times to quit and can't....I have eaten them for over 17years please can anyone help me!
ReplyDeleteI’m also addicted to Alka Seltzer xs. I have been for many years. I’ve spoken to my GP a few times because I’m scared. The reply is always “you can’t get addicted”, Is it all in my head? I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis 7 years ago but I believe it may be related to my diagnosis.
Delete