Call for ban on codeine

7zark7

7zark7

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[size=+1]Call for ban on codeine[/size]
07 October 2010

THE widely used painkiller codeine doesn't work in some people and can be fatal in others, so its use should be halted, say researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

Codeine works by being metabolised to morphine in the body, but the extent of that metabolism depends on a person's genetic make-up, so the amount of morphine produced varies.


Full article: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20827812.600-call-for-ban-on-codeine.html
 
Stupid and ignorant. What they need to do is change the way it's advertised and regulate the sale so clueless people don't become addicted.
 
I'm pretty sure the majority of Codeine's effects are mediated by another metabolite. Only 15% of the effect is caused by CYP2D6 conversion to morphine (afaik).
 
There is debate whether Codeine's mu-opioid agonist effects are due to enzyme modification (CYP2D6 -> Morphine) or conjugation (UGT2B7 -> codeine-6-glucuronide) or both. I've experimented with Codeine for years (while taking CYP2D6 inhibiting drugs and also while not) and my opinion is that both metabolic pathways are responsible (because I still got high off Codeine while on a potent CYP2D6 inhibitor).
 
MikeHawk said:
I'm pretty sure the majority of Codeine's effects are mediated by another metabolite. Only 15% of the effect is caused by CYP2D6 conversion to morphine (afaik).
Click to expand...

Baseline CYP2D6 can only carry a certain amount of the metabolic load, but that's because baseline CYP2D6 is easily saturated. Inducing CYP2D6 activity has been shown to aid the conversion of codeine to morphine. By analogy, sneaking an extra safety onto a football field won't hurt your pass protection.

I'll say this for New Scientist: they got the science fairly right. I've seen this same story reported in Canadian newspapers as "6 to 7 percent of the population are CYP2D6 deficient and can overdose on codeine" or some similar nonsense.
 
I was surprised at first when I first found out codeine could be purchased in small quantities over the counter in Canada. It`s very loose with codeine up here, very tight on everything else opiate.
 
It makes more sense to use a different, similar drug, generally, but if this goes through and that happens, in a few weeks people will be calling for a ban of that "more effective, less variable similar drug" when it becomes clear that the only more viable options are "stronger/more addictive..."
 
Instead of Tylenol 1 - Each tablet contains:

300mg of Acetaminophen
15mg of Caffeine
8mg of Codeine

New OTC product called Tylocet - Each tablet contains:

300mg of Acetaminophen
15mg of Caffeine
2.5mg of Oxycodone

Sigh, I wish.
 
I'd imagine that the vast majority, if not all of those would be related either to a severe allergy, or to acetaminophen overdose.

Or possibly related to huge amounts of caffeine left over after a CWE in a rare, non-tolerant individual.
 
I dont even know if I've ever had the pleasure (or disappointment pleasure) of a true 100% Codeine high.. But from what i recall i could care less cuz Codeine is usually super weak as I remember
 
THE widely used painkiller codeine doesn't work in some people and can be fatal in others, so its use should be halted, say researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
Click to expand...

well why don't they lobby for every single drug to be banned:\

if codeine gets banned that leaves you canadians with Darvon as the lightest painkiller, right? a toxic drug which should be banned. this just makes no sense to me.

I'd like to see some stats on deaths and overdoses...
Click to expand...

+1
 
HILARIOUS That truely is a scientist talking. Codeine never has been used for SERIOUS pain for those EXACT reasons (which people have known about for a LONG time)

It's imperfection is why it's so popular.

Why aren't we all buying OTC oxycodone + paracetamol, getting fentanyl lollipops post-surgery, prescribing MST tablets to old people?

..Because all those would be open to abuse. Codeine is self-limiting in it's action.

Find another opiate that is self-limiting and BANG you have your replacement to codeine UNTIL then expect to see codeine kept very much in popular use.
 
I know that codeine is a weak opaite,but it is still stronger than Darvon/Darvocet, Unltram(tramadol),so I am against bannig any opiate for any reason.Aslo in The US here in some states codeine cough syrup is available without prescription if the pharmacist deems it needed(in other words if you know a pharmacist well or look clean cut then they may give it to you otc.) The amount of codeine in this cough syrup is low however ,I'm not sure how much is in each dose,but I imagine it is small enough that one would have to drink a 1/2 pint bottle of the stuff to get a ok buzz,maybe more..
 
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