Warning: This story contains references to self-harm.
Paracetamol is one of Australia’s most common drugs, but it may soon become difficult to buy in bulk as authorities try to prevent people from overdosing.
Figures obtained by the ABC show women and girls are overwhelmingly overdosing on painkillers, with thousands of people visiting emergency departments across Australia each year seeking help.
Perth’s mother Rebecca, who did not want to give her real name, said her daughter first overdosed on paracetamol when she was 14.
“In fact, when our children were teenagers, we didn’t have paracetamol in the house… [but] My daughter still buys it, steals it, and still overdoses,” Rebecca said.
“She bought some paracetamol in a small supermarket on her way home from school one day and took it two weeks later.”
The boy then repeatedly used drugs to self-harm.
“We’re so lucky she’s still alive,” Rebecca said.
Data shows trends in teens
The ABC contacted state and territory health departments to collect data on paracetamol overdoses.
In WA alone, 1,485 people visited emergency departments with paracetamol poisoning in the two years to July this year.
More than 500 (34%) were girls under the age of 16.
Paracetamol does not cure the cause of the pain, but it provides temporary relief. (ABC Science: Teagan Taylor)
In Victoria and the Northern Territory, it’s about 30 per cent. In Tasmania, more than a third of paracetamol overdose ED cases occur in girls under 17, compared to 26 per cent in the ACT.
South Australian and Queensland health authorities say hospitals have not recorded any paracetamol overdoses, while New South Wales health authorities have not provided the ABC with any information about paracetamol-related self-harm. There is.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) says the number of people using paracetamol to deliberately harm themselves is increasing.
However, figures collected by the ABC show overall overdoses fell slightly in the last financial year compared to the previous year.
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Self-harm among teenagers is on the rise
Toxicologist Nicholas Buckley, who co-authored the report that led to restrictions on the sale of paracetamol, said rates of self-harm among teenage girls were the highest in a long time.
“But the proportion, particularly in the 12- to 14-year-old age group, has literally risen sixfold over the past 12 years,” he said.
Most teens who overdosed were not taking their prescription drugs regularly, so “they just grabbed whatever medication they had at home, most commonly paracetamol.”
Professor Buckley stressed that paracetamol itself was not the problem, but its easy availability.
“At therapeutic doses, if people are taking the recommended doses, paracetamol is literally one of the safest drugs, it has very few side effects and it doesn’t cause any problems,” he said.
“Most of these overdoses are impulsive overdoses by teenagers who just grab something at home without thinking for 30 minutes.
“So the less drugs you have in your home, the less likely you are to overdose, and the less likely you are to overdose.” [of serious health outcomes]. ”
However, Professor Buckley acknowledged that the number of overdoses was driven by poor mental health and that reducing the availability of paracetamol was unlikely to reduce overdoses.
“But if there are fewer large-scale overdoses, there will be fewer severe liver injuries, and there will be fewer deaths,” he said.
Overdosing on paracetamol can lead to liver damage and death. (ABC News: Mark Evans)
pack size cut
From February, the pack size of paracetamol that can be purchased at supermarkets and convenience stores will be reduced from 20 tablets to 16 tablets.
Only packs of 50 tablets can be purchased in pharmacies without pharmacist supervision.
Also, pack sizes up to 100 tablets cannot be sold without a pharmacist’s permission.
Ahead of the change, smaller packs have already started hitting stores.
Rebecca believed the drug should always be available only over the counter.
Rebecca wants the paracetamol to be kept behind the pharmacy counter. (ABC News: Nicholas Martyr)
“For some people, that’s going to be enough of a barrier to not being able to buy, and if you’re behind the counter, it’s not going to be that easy to steal,” Rebecca said.
TGA is running an awareness campaign on how to use and store paracetamol to minimize harm.
Australian Medical Association vice president Julian Leight said ideally paracetamol would be sold from behind the counter, but the organization supported reducing pack sizes.
Associate Professor Leight said the TGA needed to balance the needs of people suffering from chronic pain who need to take large amounts of paracetamol with the risks for people who might use the drug compulsively. Ta.
Julian Leight said the AMA supported strengthening controls on the sale of paracetamol. (Provided by: Australian Medical Association)
“We have been advocating for rescheduling so that as much as possible these are done behind the counter,” he said.
“However, we recognize that small amounts should be available for daily use.
“The suggestion was to put no more than 16 tablets in a single blister pack. This would reduce impulsive tablet intake and minimize the possibility of self-harm. That’s what I think.
Associate Professor Leight warned that people risked permanent liver damage or complete liver failure if they misused paracetamol.
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