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Opioids Codeine linctus banned?.

kaosisallwesee

kaosisallwesee

Bluelighter
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
796
Location
uk
I was recently banned from a certain sub reddit for disagreeing with a mod that codeine linctus is banned and no lover sold otc in the UK. My local pharmacy has it in stock and they were insistant that that's impossible. I went this morning and got some along with a picture of the receipt with today's date. But since my one day ban yesterday I've been permanently banned at somepoint since then for undermining a moderator, even though they were wrong and spreading misinformation.
Anyone know what they might be on about? I've seen suggestions they may make codeine script only in the next few years but nothing recent or in place yet. The mod was saying Codeine linctus has been banned since 1st of Jan.... my local has restocked many times since then.
 
There is no ban on any OTC Codeine products AFAIK or any recent changes to either the MOD or Meds. Acts but as a high visibility supervised pharmacy sale item, policies and attitudes surrounding its purchase by high risk customers will be changing often, with chemists often insisting something is banned instead of arguing over a "P" sale - with cases like this often resulting in extended periods in which certain folks will keep their backs up.
 
That was my understanding too. But the moderator was adamant, so I tried to find his sources suggesting its banned, couldnt find a thing.... On a side note, WTF is up with redditors?! Are they all massive bellends, or just the ones I've spoken to hah?
 
I think they're confusing several online pharmacies being banned from selling or obtainting codeine linctus, promethazine or cyclizine with an all round ban. Basically if it's out of stock, they were banned from selling it until they get their security and processing up to standards.
 
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Codeine linctus recently went prescription only from online pharmacies. It's not been sold over the counter in chemists here for a long time but up until early this year it was available to order by the single bottle online. It is now 'sold out' everywhere. Not surprised given it became a bit of a meme and the price a bottle was going for on the street when sold as lean. If you have a prescription you wouldn't be affected.

Cyclazine was getting clamped down on for a few years now due to long-term health complications with regular use, it's not good for the heart. I wouldn't recommend using any anti-nausea regularly as most are attributed to health issues long term.

Promethazine is still available.

If your pharmacy still stocks codeine linctus without prescription I would put that down to a loop hole rather than it being legal - even 10 years ago it was only available from the odd otc pharmacy and not widely known. It was only a matter of time before it got taken off the shelves online too.
 
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Have you got any sources saying it's been banned otc in the uk? I can't find anything. I can however find articles about why online pharmacies don't stock it anymore (see previous comments). You say it's not been available otc for years but that's just not true. It was available in my old city and its available in my new town. I literally can't find a single bit of solid evidence backing your claims.
 
Never actually tried to ask for it here in NI (UK) so not sure what the status of it is here. Although you can get 8/500 co-codamol OTC from most local chemists.
 
kaosisallwesee said:
Have you got any sources saying it's been banned otc in the uk? I can't find anything. I can however find articles about why online pharmacies don't stock it anymore (see previous comments). You say it's not been available otc for years but that's just not true. It was available in my old city and its available in my new town. I literally can't find a single bit of solid evidence backing your claims.
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No sources. Could be genuinely out of stock but I can get it if I have a prescription, without the sale is refused. I used to be able to buy it easily and now I cannot. Do you have a photo of your receipt?

Yes it was available in some pharmacies otc 10 years ago but even then it was only some, not all, without prescription, much less available compared to the years before that. Very much down to the pharmacy. I've no doubt if you went all across every pharmacy in the country you'd find some, same with some other things that aren't meant to be otc there's always a dodgy pharma somewhere - but if you went into every pharmacy in a city you would not have been served it every time like you would a box of cocodamol and paramol. Would correct 'loop hole' to chemists discretion. But majority of pharmacies will not even bother selling it without prescription anymore.

I'm not getting into it being banned either btw, it's a case of whether it's available or not and it's became much less available. Tbh banned is not a great term for discussing this topic. Something is normally banned due to serious adverse reactions and that can affect otc and prescription. In this case it's not being sold due to the increase in black market popularity and pharmacies not wanting to deal with the addiction issues and surge of people looking it for withdrawal etc once they start selling it. I can't see it ever being truly banned as there are lots of people addicted/prescribed it. Reduction in sales though? Yes.

As for long term cyclizine and heart issues I'll let you use a search engine (hint: "cyclizine heart" journal) or talk to a GP about that one.

Promethazine is available.
 
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Lean has become really popular in the UK the last few years, judging by the new rules being laid down at the online pharmacies; peeps been buying 100s of bottles at once and selling it on the streets for astronomical prices. Seriously, I had mates buying a little bottle with 120mg of Codeine with THC for £80 quid a pop.
 
It's kinda messed it up for us addicts as it was such a great back up for when you ran out of your DOC.
 
7ate9 said:
Lean has become really popular in the UK the last few years, judging by the new rules being laid down at the online pharmacies; peeps been buying 100s of bottles at once and selling it on the streets for astronomical prices. Seriously, I had mates buying a little bottle with 120mg of Codeine with THC for £80 quid a pop.
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Crazy prices and massive upsurge in popularity on the street. Never understood the black market for it other than it being a good novelty for the user and profit for the seller. Used to always come across blistered codeine on the street but 'lean' is way more popular now.

Stopped using but DHC was becoming less available too a few months back.
 
Yep defo. It's weird how it's only just got popular now too and not say 10-15 years ago when it was all about "Purple Drank" which was way better imo. Guess that's trends for you though. The irony is that purple drank was cheap and easy to make and gave a way better buzz. Even offered to show em how they could make their own but they weren't interested.
 
7ate9 said:
Yep defo. It's weird how it's only just got popular now too and not say 10-15 years ago when it was all about "Purple Drank" which was way better imo. Guess that's trends for you though. The irony is that purple drank was cheap and easy to make and gave a way better buzz. Even offered to show em how they could make their own but they weren't interested.
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Lean just seems to be a buzz word now for liquid codeine or thc. In my world lean was codeine linctus and promethazine combined. "THC" lean is really popular.
 
GearoftheYear said:
No sources. Could be genuinely out of stock but I can get it if I have a prescription, without the sale is refused. I used to be able to buy it easily and now I cannot. Do you have a photo of your receipt?

Yes it was available in some pharmacies otc 10 years ago but even then it was only some, not all, without prescription, much less available compared to the years before that. Very much down to the pharmacy. I've no doubt if you went all across every pharmacy in the country you'd find some, same with some other things that aren't meant to be otc there's always a dodgy pharma somewhere - but if you went into every pharmacy in a city you would not have been served it every time like you would a box of cocodamol and paramol. Would correct 'loop hole' to chemists discretion. But majority of pharmacies will not even bother selling it without prescription anymore.

I'm not getting into it being banned either btw, it's a case of whether it's available or not and it's became much less available. Tbh banned is not a great term for discussing this topic. Something is normally banned due to serious adverse reactions and that can affect otc and prescription. In this case it's not being sold due to the increase in black market popularity and pharmacies not wanting to deal with the addiction issues and surge of people looking it for withdrawal etc once they start selling it. I can't see it ever being truly banned as there are lots of people addicted/prescribed it. Reduction in sales though? Yes.

As for long term cyclizine and heart issues I'll let you use a search engine (hint: "cyclizine heart" journal) or talk to a GP about that one.

Promethazine is available.
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I posted the receipt r/opiodsuk on reddit but don't have time to upload here until later. This wasn't from a dodgy chemist, they're attached to a GP surgery. Bottom line is that while it's not sold through online chemists, which I'm sure was explained above, it's sales as a whole hasn't been banned. Brick and mortar chemists have chosen not to stock it after the whole opioid scandal(s) of 2019-2020. I'll post the receipt later if you can't find it on reddit.
 
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