Local pharmacist warns of codeine abuse
Codeine is addictive and should be used under strict supervision especially on children and teenagers.
GlenMed pharmacist, Zanele Maduna, has alerted parents to medicine that contains codeine and the dangers of using such medicines unsupervised.
“Codeine is habit-forming (addictive). Mental and physical dependence can occur but are unlikely when used for short-term pain relief. Using codeine during pregnancy can cause opioid withdrawal syndrome in the newborn, which may be life-threatening if not treated,” Zanele told the Courier. She warned that “many people use codeine to relieve a legitimate condition such as the physical pain of headaches, cough, colds, and flu. However, codeine is highly addictive and is currently being misused as an ingredient in street drugs. Parents, please be aware and lock away any medicine containing codeine.
Codeine is very popular among teenagers who mix cough mixtures with cold drinks and tablets containing codeine to get drowsy.
Parents are advised to make sure they monitor such meds and lock them away from children.”
