That's very different from here in Canada. I can't imagine 16 capsules at 500 mg each being the maximum!
No, it became a bit of a pain here, when it was introduced a few years ago. It was a measure designed to reduce the so called "para-suicides" converting to actual suicide.
I was skeptical, when I first tried to buy three packets of paracetamol from
ALDI, and was refused, my initial comment to the cashier was , "why, do I look suicidal ?"
I've tried to rationalise this and reckon I probably have. Suicide is the biggest cause of death for our young people. (More so for blokes). Make no doubt about it, it has to be taken seriously. If a person is determined, then it can sometimes be difficult to identify and prevent serious attempts.We are now trained to identify these patients at an earlier stage, sometimes it's just a matter of asking someone if they are suicidal, patients generally are very honest. The level of violence involved in an attempt, can sometimes be directly related to the level intent. I've had more success with those who want to take all their tablets, than those who choose to jump in front of a train.
My very personal own opinions on this issue: Suicide is an illness. Suicide is dreadful. It has dreadful consequences. It can sometimes be preventable. If you can draw someone back from that moment of illness when they think of hurting themselves, then generally, it's a good move. (And, in the long term, a successful one.)
So, if every time I get a sore knee/tooth/throat/ear, I have to go and visit Aldi 10,000 times to save some poor kid shrivelling up from liver failure, then I'll continue the journey.