Codeine sales and overdoses cut by half

Sales and overdoses of codeine have fallen by half in Australia following moves to restrict its availability.

The first picture of the impact of the federal government’s changes to over-the-counter sales of low-strength codeine has been drawn. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Sales and overdoses of codeine have fallen by half in Australia following moves to restrict the availability of the drug over the counter.

Researchers examined call data from the NSW Poisons Information Centre and national codeine sales data to compile the first picture of the impact of the federal government’s changes to over-the-counter sales of low-strength codeine. Results of the study are published today in the journal Addiction.

“We saw in the 12 months following the schedule change a 50 per cent drop in codeine overdoses, and a similar drop — 48.4 per cent — in codeine sales,” said lead researcher Rose Cairns, a lecturer in Sydney Pharmacy School and director of research at the NSW Poisons Information Centre.

Sales of low-strength codeine declined by 87 per cent.

The government moved to restrict codeine sales in February 2018. Before then, Australia had some of the highest rates of ­codeine use in the world.

Those using codeine for chronic pain now need a prescription from a doctor, but there has been no increase in prescription of higher-strength codeine products since the regulatory changes.

“The thought was if people had to see a doctor anyway, they might ask for something stronger,” Dr Cairns said. “But we saw that there was no increase in ­poisoning for the higher-strength codeine or other opioids. There doesn’t seem to be a massive switching … to products that could be more harmful.”

Codeine is an opioid often found in painkillers, cold and flu medication or cough mixtures.

Pain advocacy body Painaustralia said there had not been a significant backlash in the community to the restrictions on ­codeine sales.

“Frankly, codeine is not that useful for chronic pain and ­neither are opioids,” said chief executive Carol Bennett.