Restrictions on codeine possible

Press, 10 January 1986, Page 4

Restrictions on codeine possible

PA Auckland The Health Department will consider restricting sales of codeine-based products to prescriptions if drug addicts appear to be buying large quantities with ease. However, the department’s director of clinical services, Dr John Phillips, said yesterday that the department would be reluctant to make any changes which would make it difficult for legitimate users to get the products. He said that over all the

system under which the Pharmaceutical Society policed responsible sales appeared to be working successfully, in spite of some recent incidents in Auckland. Dr Phillips’ comments came after moves by Auckland drug squad detectives to report seven chemists in the region to the department for allegedly indiscriminately selling large quantities of codeine-based products. The products can be used in the manufacture of home-

bake heroin and morphine. The fiftieth homebake laboratory was seized by the police in Auckland this week. The detectives said that they had information which showed drug addicts had a list of chemists whom they knew would not question requests for the drugs. The drug squad chief, Detective Inspector lan Hastings, said that homebake was far more addictive than normal drugs. “People get a raging habit very quickly. Unfor-

tunately, there is no way of knowing the strength of the homebake, which means it is also highly dangerous,” he said. One addict told Mr Hastings than when he started, one cook-up would last eight injections. By the time he was heavily addicted the cook-up was all blown in one shot. Chemists caught indiscriminately handing out codeine-based products would be struck off the Pharmaceutical Society re-

gister, the society has warned. Its president, Mr David Buckle, said deregistered chemists could not practise pharmacy unless reinstated by the society’s disciplinary committee. However, Mr Buckle emphasised that every pharmacist accused of indiscriminately handing out codeine-based pills would be given a fair and thorough hearing before the committee and a barrister.