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Comment by sparky_z | Hacker News Reader

Another benefit I've heard (perhaps an extreme version of the third type) is that it cuts down on impulsive suicides. It's easy to throw back a whole bottle of pills and take a month's worth of doses in a few seconds. The blister packs make you really work for it.

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This is one of the reasons that suicide by tylenol - which is reportedly very drawn out and extremely painful - is so common in the US compared to other countries. It's available in much greater concentration and quantity at retail than the rest of the world. In the UK, bottles have about 30 tablets.

In the US, finding 1000 count (!) bottles is easy: https://www.cvs.com/shop/cvs-health-extra-strength-acetamino...

https://www.cnn.com/2013/02/08/health/us-uk-pain-sgmd/index....

On top of which, the maximum daily dose listed by many generics is not considered safe: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3585765/

And in the UK it's going to be in a blister pack not a bottle, which is a lot more work. You can't even buy more than two packs at a time, so you'd need to go from store to store.

A 16 pack of extra-strength paracetamol, which is more than enough to kill you in one sitting, is 65p at Tesco.

Do you really think someone intent on killing himself will look at a blister pack and think, "You know, if this was in a bottle I'd go through with it, but this doesn't seem worth it, it's way too much work to take me own life"?

Many people who commit (or attempt) suicide aren't really intent on killing themselves. There is ample evidence than putting even relatively minor barriers in the way, making it so that people have to slow down and really reflect on what they are doing is enough to stop some people in their tracks and make them reconsider what they are about to do.

Suicide has a planned and an impulsive component. Both need to be present for an attempt to happen.

It doesn't sound like you know much about suicide research? Preferring to substitute your own guesses on a well researched topic.

The US doesn't bother controlling tylenol suicides because it's already awash with guns.

Sure, but they're hard to swallow and have a metallic taste.

If I'm reading https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3585765/ correctly then it says that the maximum listed dosage is safe but the FDA recommended lowering it with no supporting evidence.

It claims the previous higher maximum was anecdotally established but later supported as safe by multiple studies and the reason for the article seems to be concern that the new lower maximums could cause confusion in patients and doctors.

I had never considered that angle, but I know from other examples that even a small impedement to suicide can tip the scales safely for some. A short fence you have to climb over, for example.

People who are suicidal are often miserable and looking for a quick and easy out. Making them work for it absolutely can be a deterrent.

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