Latest news with #Vicks
Scottish Sun
07-07-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
The 5 medications that could see you JAILED if you take them on holiday this summer – including hay fever pills
Popular allergy treatments like Vicks inhalers are banned and could get you arrested at the airport BITTER PILL The 5 medications that could see you JAILED if you take them on holiday this summer – including hay fever pills Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IF you're heading abroad this summer, packing some preventative medicines might seem like the sensible thing to do. But be warned, some common drugs, including antihistamines and painkillers, could land you with hefty fines or even jail time in certain countries. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Many countries have strict restrictions on common UK medications - despite millions of us using them. Credit: Getty While these meds are legal to buy over the counter in the UK, they're banned or tightly restricted in several countries. And being caught with them, even by accident, can mean your dream holiday turns into a nightmare. Here's what to watch out for: 1. Antihistamines Hay fever sufferers, take note. Japan has some of the strictest anti-stimulant drug laws in the world - and that includes antihistamines, the Foreign Office has previously warned. Popular allergy treatments like Vicks inhalers and Sudafed are banned and could get you arrested at the airport. Anyone caught bringing them in risks detention or deportation. 2. Codeine The opioid painkiller, codeine, is banned in over 25 countries, including several in Europe. Yet in the UK, you don't even need a prescription - codeine is available over the counter in pharmacies as co-codamol, which combines codeine with paracetamol. Even bringing small amounts of the stuff abroad to certain places can get you into serious trouble. In Hungary, it carries up to five years in jail. In Slovakia, it's three. Other risky destinations include: Austria - Up to six months in jail Belgium - Up to five years in jail Croatia - £550 to £2,250 in fines (€650 to €2,600), plus up to 90 days in jail Czechia - £510 fine (15,000 Kč) Finland - Up to six months in jail Luxembourg - £210 to £4,200 fine (€250–€5,000), plus up to six months in jail Romania - Up to two years in jail Sweden - Up to three years in jail Even in countries like Greece or Cyprus, you'll need a valid prescription to carry codeine. Always check the rules for your destination online before you travel, and speak to your GP in advance to get any necessary paperwork. 3. Sleeping pills The United Arab Emirates (UAE) have a zero tolerance on an array of over-the-counter medications that are sold daily in the UK. Sleeping pills like temazepam, which are legal here, are strictly banned in the Emirates, and getting caught with them could land you behind bars. Even if you have a prescription from your GP, you'll need to apply for approval from the UAE Ministry of Health before travelling. 4. Cannabis-related products 2 It's generally recommended to avoid travelling abroad with any CBD based products Credit: Alamy Even CBD oil with zero THC is illegal in countries like Singapore, the UAE, and Japan, among others. It doesn't matter if it's for anxiety or pain, all cannabis products are banned in these regions. Getting caught with CBD at the airport could lead to arrest, detention, or even deportation. For example, in China, it is illegal to bring CBD into the country, with possession carrying a potential jail time of seven years. This is because in some places, possession is treated the same way as carrying hard drugs. It's generally not recommended to travel abroad with any CBD based products. 5. ADHD medicines Stimulants used to treat ADHD are a major red flag in some countries. In Japan, they are completely banned, even with a prescription. To bring them in legally, you'll need special clearance from the Japanese government, including medical proof - a process that takes weeks. How to check what is allowed? You can check which medications you can take in and out of the UK here. The UK government also recommends checking with the relevant embassies before travelling to make sure that you don't break any rules. You can find the full list for embassy contacts here. British prescriptions are not accepted at international pharmacies, so you'll need to take enough medicine with you for your entire trip. Ensure that you take your prescription and doctor's letter wherever you are travelling. Consider having the doctor's letter translated into your destination's language to make the journey easier. The strict rules are designed to keep travellers safe and to prevent drug tourism.
Daily Mirror
30-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
'I clean crime scenes - I scrub myself with Detoll to remove the smell of death'
WARNING, GRAPHIC CONTENT: Crime scene cleaner Lauren Baker has seen it all in her line of work, from blood and bodily fluids to used needles, maggots, and even mouse droppings Crime scene cleaner Lauren Baker has seen - and smelled - it all, from blood and bodily fluids to used needles, maggots and mouse droppings. When crimes leave behind scenes of devastation, and once the forensic teams pack up, it's professionals like Lauren who step in to clean up the unthinkable. But these are no ordinary cleaners. They are highly trained specialists who handle everything from airborne pathogens and drug contamination to dangerous needles and hidden booby traps. Featured in the new Channel 4 documentary Crime Scene Cleaners, Lauren's work is captured in bodycam footage, taking viewers into the aftermath of tragedies across Kent and Essex. 'I once had to clean a flat where the person had fully decomposed — the smell was overwhelming,' Lauren told The Sun. 'If it's not the odour that hits you first, it's the flies and maggots.' Before entering the biohazard industry, Lauren worked in a pub and as a domestic cleaner. Inspired to make a difference, she launched her own business, LIT Biohazard. Today, she's known not only for her meticulous work but also her post-cleanse ritual, where she opens a window to symbolically release the spirit of the deceased. 'I once helped clean a property where the man had been physically and mentally unwell,' she recalls. 'There had been no support. That moment made me realise I could help people — and that there was a real need for this kind of service. Oddly enough, I enjoyed tackling the grime.' But the job is not for the faint-hearted. From murders and suicides to people who've died alone and gone unnoticed for weeks, the emotional strain is immense. 'The hardest clean-ups are always suicides,' Lauren said. 'They're never just a job — there's always a heartbreaking story behind them.' Remembering one case vividly, she said: 'We found the note on the door: 'Do not enter. Call 999. There is a dead body inside.' He had left envelopes of money, named recipients, and written personal letters. We had to be the ones to deliver that news to his family. I'll never forget it. 'You have to be mentally strong. I listen to a lot of music, and sometimes I cry in the shower. It helps.' Whenever people discover what Lauren does for a living, they're immediately curious, often asking her what death smells like. 'You do get used to it. But the smell of death I can't really describe, it is such a distinctive smell. 'We do have strong masks so usually you can't smell a lot of it. But we swear by putting a bit of Vicks underneath your nose, then your mask, and then you are good to go. 'But when I first started I remember going home and thinking I smelled of death. Psychologically because that is what I'd been smelling all day, that is what you think you smell of. 'One day I even scrubbed myself in Dettol and had about four showers and I could still smell death.' To stay safe, Lauren and her team wear full PPE every day, including disposable suits, masks and gloves, to guard against biohazards like bloodborne pathogens, bacteria, and toxic chemicals. 'My first thought is how long have they been there? Is there any decomposition? How bad is the clean-up going to be? We could be walking into a bloodbath. We could be walking into needles everywhere. 'You can have faeces, you can have bodily fluids, we don't know what we're walking into.' While American cleaners featured in the show deal with dangers like airborne fentanyl, Lauren says her team faces different — but no less serious — risks. 'We have to be vaccinated to do our job,' she said. 'If we have a person who has passed away in his home and he has an infectious disease, that then can become airborne as his body decomposes. 'We have gone into homes and done needle sweeps before and you will be surprised where you can find needles. You've really got to have your wits about you and to be prepared for every situation. 'Most of the time people are generally found within three to four days. But you can have cases where people have been sat there for weeks. If that is the case then you get an awful lot of decomposition to clean up and that is when you get flies, maggots, all sorts start to fester in there. 'When someone passes, fluid leaks from every hole in their body.' Lauren's work also includes hoarding situations and homes affected by mental health crises. She's seen extreme cases, from rooms full of empty cereal boxes to homes where alcoholics urinate in bottles because their toilets are unusable. Despite the emotional and physical toll, Lauren wouldn't trade her job for anything. 'I love what I do. Through cleaning, I'm helping people rebuild their lives — and there's no other job I'd rather have.' Crime Scene Cleaners airs at 10 PM on Monday, 30 June, or stream all episodes now on Channel 4.
Mint
23-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Colgate-Palmolive eyes H2 rebound amid urban stress, rural growth
New Delhi: Despite a 'tough" March quarter and lingering pressure on many urban consumers, Prabha Narasimhan, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd, expects a rebound in consumer sentiment and spending in the latter half of the year. She cited government interventions, improved liquidity and a good start to the monsoons as key drivers for this change. 'We're hoping the uptick in consumer sentiment happens towards the back end of the year. The government has intervened, there's been a tax cut, liquidity has improved, monsoons are meant to be quite good this year—all of those should certainly help. We see two pockets of opportunity—the top 30% of urban India has no shortage of money for FMCG products; they continue to want to premiumize. Meanwhile, rural India continues to be buoyant—crops have been good and the sentiment is also positive. However, there is stress in 70% of urban India that has been slightly under pressure," Narasimhan said in an interview with Mint on Monday. Also read: Trent sticks to the long-term goal of growing 25% every year In fiscal 2025, the maker of toothbrushes and body wash reported a 6.3% increase in sales, reaching ₹5,999 crore, compared to ₹5,644 crore in the previous year. The company's profit after tax in FY25 grew by 8.5% to ₹1,437 crore, up from ₹1,324 crore in the previous year. However, the fourth quarter saw a dip in both profit and sales, with net profit down 6.5% to ₹355 crore and revenue declining 2% to ₹1,452 crore. Rural volumes grew ahead of urban for the Mumbai-headquartered company during the fiscal year. The March quarter was 'tough", she said. Analysts attributed this to greater competition and weak urban demand. Managing consumption 'Consumers respond to a feeling of confidence. If they feel a little bit of pressure, then they tend to optimize across all parts of their budget. There are some things that are sacrosanct such as medical and education [expenses]. In the case of oral care, it is management of consumption; it's not through smaller pack sizes or cheaper packs," she told Mint in an interview in the capital. The Indian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry reported 11% year-on-year value growth in the March quarter, driven by a 5.1% volume increase and a 5.6% price hike, according to data released by NielsenIQ. Also read: Govt may relax registration rules for e-commerce players, traders unhappy Urban market growth decelerated in the March quarter, while rural markets saw an 8.4% volume increase, a slight dip from the December quarter. Other large packaged goods companies such as Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Ltd, the maker of Whisper, Vicks and Old Spice, gave similar commentary earlier this month. The company reported a steady revival in rural consumption, even as urban demand remains under pressure. The home and personal care category, where Colgate Palmolive operates, saw consumption growth of 5.7% in the March quarter, with higher demand in rural areas, NielsenIQ noted. The company competes with Dabur India and Hindustan Unilever Ltd. Oral care penetration Meanwhile, the maker of Colgate toothpaste and Palmolive body wash continues to increase the usage of oral care products in India. 'We would like to move the needle as far as urban India is concerned—to get the 80% of consumers who don't brush twice a day to brush twice a day. As far as rural India is concerned, the aim is to get the one in two consumers who don't brush daily to brush daily," she said. A decade ago, oral care penetration in India was around 85%. Today, it's close to universal. The company has also been pushing its flagship Oral Health Movement. Also read: P&G Hygiene sees rebound in rural demand, but urban stress persists As part of the same, over 4.5 million Indians screened their oral health in 700 districts. The company spent 14% of its FY25 annual sales on advertising. Narasimhan said the number will remain in the ballpark and within that range in the current fiscal, too. Meanwhile, commenting on global geopolitical volatility, Narasimhan said the company is largely insulated from supply chain disruptions. 'We are a largely 'make in India' for India company, so almost our entire production of both toothpaste and toothbrush is in India across our four plants. We are reasonably self-sufficient in that sense. We've tried very hard to localize, even to source raw materials; to that extent, one is a little bit insulated from all of this. The macro environment has become so volatile that it's just impossible to comment on and it's impossible for us to do anything other than to insulate on a more structural basis as we have done and continue to do," she added.
American Military News
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- American Military News
Chris Robinson, ‘General Hospital' actor who famously played a doctor on TV, dies at 86
Chris Robinson, the actor who played Dr. Rick Webber on 'General Hospital' and also introduced America to a classic turn of phrase in a commercial for cough syrup, has died of heart failure. He was 86. Robinson died in his sleep just after midnight on Monday at home in Sedona, Arizona, according to filmmaker MJ Allen, who posted the news on Facebook. 'Jacquie (Chris' wife) just called me a bit ago and informed me that my good friend and collaborator Hollywood legend Chris Robinson has passed away,' the filmmaker, whose full name is Michael Jason Allen, wrote Monday afternoon. 'We knew this was coming, but it always sucks.' Though Robinson had 100 TV and film acting credits, according to IMDb, his most famous role might be one many people don't realize they are referencing: He was the actor in a Vicks Formula 44 cough syrup commercial who first spoke the words, 'I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV.' That phrase from 1984 was uttered again two years later in a second Vicks Formula 44 ad featuring Peter Bergman, 'The Young and the Restless' actor who at the time played Dr. Cliff Warner on 'All My Children.' The rest was pop culture history. Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Nov. 5, 1938, Robinson appeared in more than 1,000 'General Hospital' episodes between 1978 and 1986, then returned for about 20 episodes in 2002 and one in April 2013. He was also in almost 250 episodes as Jack Hamilton on 'The Bold and the Beautiful,' mostly in the early 1990s but continuing into the early 2000s, and had 20 episodes as Jason Frame on 'Another World' in 1988 to 1989. He was a regular in the pages of Soap Opera Digest and acted with John Stamos, Rick Springfield and Richard Dean Anderson when their careers were just beginning. His episodic TV credits began in the 1960s and included 'The Donna Reed Show,' 'Gunsmoke,' 'Wagon Train,' 'Perry Mason' and 'Hogan's Heroes,' to name a few. Robinson starred in films alongside Mickey Rooney, Charlton Heston, Dick Clark, Bruce Dern, Ted Cassidy and Yvonne De Carlo and directed film and TV including episodes of 'Baretta,' 'Cannon' and 'Barnaby Jones.' He wrote, starred in and directed the 1977 movie 'The Great Balloon Race' with Frank Gifford, Phyllis Diller, Cab Calloway and Bert Parks. Robinson appeared in three films directed by Allen: 'Just for a Week,' 'Barely Dreaming' and 'Yancey McCord: The Killer That Arizona Forgot About.' In 1985, the actor — then living in Glendale — pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion charges and could have faced two years in prison for filing false tax returns on $490,000 in income from 1980 to 1981. He managed to avoid a sentence that would have forced him to leave 'General Hospital' by serving his time on nights and weekends to remain available for daytime taping. He was also ordered to pay all back taxes and interest. In more recent years, Robinson enjoyed time on his ranch with his artist wife of 14 years, Jacquie Shane-Robinson. 'We spent a few holidays together, staying out at his ranch having buffets by the creek, and him and Jacquie coming to my house to discuss projects were always a treat,' Allen wrote on Facebook. 'Good times. … RIP, good friend and legend. Respect to Jacquie and the fam.' Rhonda Robinson, one of the actor's ex-wives, posted a vintage photo of a 1980s Daytime TV Yearbook on Monday showing Chris Robinson and their young sons, writing, 'Seems like a lifetime ago. When we got married I was sure it would last forever, but unfortunately it did not. But we did create the best sons. They will miss you. RIP Chris.' Robinson is survived by his wife Jacquie as well as sons Shane, Coby, Christian, Taylor, Christopher, Christopher Lance and Robb Walker from his numerous previous marriages. He had five grandchildren. ___ © 2025 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Mint
12-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
P&G Hygiene sees rebound in rural demand, but urban stress persists
New Delhi: Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Ltd (PGHH), the maker of Whisper, Vicks, and Old Spice, is seeing a steady revival in rural consumption, even as urban demand remains under pressure. This divergence in consumer sentiment is likely to influence near-term growth in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, a top company executive said on Thursday. "Demand in the FMCG, industry continues to evolve. While the non-food inflation continues to stay below RBI's (Reserve Bank of India's) medium-term target of 4%, consumption trends are still shifting,' said Mrinalini Srinivasan, chief financial officer, PGHH, during the company's virtual analyst day. With a good monsoon last year and rural wages picking up, rural demand is showing signs of healthy recovery. 'Urban demand is not following the same trend. On the contrary, urban India continues to face financial challenges. While the government has announced interventions in the budget, we expect the impact of these on urban consumption to take some time,' she said. In the near term, some of the challenges are expected to continue, Srinivasan said while maintaining a "cautiously optimistic" outlook for the future. With the steady government and private investment and positive economic indicators, there surely are reasons to be optimistic, she said. "But one must keep an eye on the evolving global trade policies, which will have an impact on inflation and potentially demand,' Srinivasan added. "However, we remain confident in the dynamic and integrated nature of our strategy to help us navigate the difficulties and continue to serve and delight consumers and to drive sustained, balanced results FMCG volumes grew 4% in the 12 months ended 31 March, per researcher Kantar. For the nine months ended 31 March 2025, the company reported net sales of ₹ 3,374 crore, a 3% increase compared to the corresponding nine-month period. Profit after tax reached ₹ 636 crore, up 7% over the same period. This nine-month reporting period is a result of the company's transition to a new fiscal year calendar, from its previous 1 July to 30 June cycle. Procter & Gamble, the Indian subsidiary of the American multinational consumer goods giant, operates through various entities in India, offering a wide range of products including shampoo (Head & Shoulders), detergents (Ariel), baby care (Pampers), and home care (Ambi Pur). Its Indian operations also include two major listed companies: Gillette India (male and female grooming) and PGHH (female hygiene and healthcare). During the last fiscal year, PGHH reported "balanced" growth across both the feminine hygiene and cough and cold segments, alongside one of its strongest innovation pipelines in recent years. PGHH holds half the market share for branded women's hygiene products in India, selling sanitary napkins under the Whisper brand. "This has been possible because our focus has actually been to grow and build the category, and that's what we will continue to focus on. We cannot comment on the future launches and plans. We still have significant opportunities for growth, both on consumption and innovation in the categories we play,' she said. The company has been intensifying its cost-cutting efforts and implementing greater productivity measures, particularly in response to high raw material costs. 'Specifically last year, through our productivity interventions, PGHH achieved savings of over ₹ 93 crores. That is the fuel that allows us to reinvest in superiority across the five vectors and stay ahead of what consumers want,' said Kumar Venkatasubramanian, CEO, PGHH. Srinivasan noted that structural margins have improved significantly, despite mid-single-digit inflation in raw materials and manpower, and increased ad spends. "…we have still been able to improve our net margin by about 60 basis points, driven by our deliberate efforts on productivity across all cost buckets, as well as innovation in the premium segments to enable consumers to trade up in line with their aspirations,' she explained. The company, which also sells male grooming products under the Old Spice brand, said has expanded its distribution network by adding one million stores in the last three years.
