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Countdown has announced that it will limit acetaminophen sales to one packet per customer following the medical examiner’s recommendations.
A person takes paracetamol.
The restriction is effective immediately and applies to all Countdown stores nationwide.
Its goal is to reduce the risk of people overdosing on the drug.
“Acetaminophen is an incredibly useful and effective drug, but as with all drugs, it must also be respected and treated with care,” says Countdown’s chief pharmacist Jeremy Armes.
“When a customer wants to buy large amounts of acetaminophen or items containing acetaminophen, we believe it is best to sell it in a pharmacy setting where a pharmacist can discuss the proper use of acetaminophen and the risks one by one.
“There is no doubt that mental health awareness, education and good medical support will make the biggest difference for Kiwis with mental illness.
“However, there are also significant and sometimes tragic consequences of an overdose, whether accidental or intentional. Anything we can do to reduce this risk is important.”
In 2017, Coroner David Robinson asked supermarkets to put a limit on a paracetamol packet after a 20-year-old Dunedin student died from an accidental overdose of the drug.
According to Countdown, paracetamol is the most popular drug in the country, with around three million written prescriptions and more than 50 million tablets used annually throughout New Zealand.
