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Codeine Addiction
You may be old enough to remember when over-the-counter sleeping aids were readily available and even advertised on TV. A common phrase that you heard quite often on these commercials was the comment that the medicine was “as effective as codeine, but not narcotic.” Whether this was true or not is lost to time, but it’s no secret that codeine is the world’s most widely-used opiate. It is routinely used as a painkiller, an anti-cough medicine and as an anti-diarrheal. Most of the codeine used today is actually synthesized in laboratories, as opposed to being derived from the poppy plant as it was originally. When used correctly, codeine is probably about as safe of an opiate-based medicine as there can be. However, as with any narcotic, there is always the opportunity for abuse and addiction. This question and answer column is designed to acquaint you with basic information regarding codeine and codeine abuse. If you have any other questions, please feel free to call Vista Bay anytime. We will be happy to help you. Q) What is Codeine? A) Codeine is a member of the opiate drug class. Opiates include all naturally occurring drugs with morphine-like effects, as well as all semi and fully synthetic drugs with morphine-like effects such as heroin and meperidine (Demerol). Codeine was first discovered as a natural constituent of opium in very small concentrations, in the range of 0.7% - 2.5% by weight. Most codeine found in pharmaceutical products today is synthetically produced via the methylation of morphine. Q) How is Codeine used? A) Codeine can be administered orally (PO), subcutaneously (SC), intramuscularly (IM) and rectally (PR). Codeine cannot be safely administered by an intravenous (IV) injection as it may result in pulmonary edema, facial swelling, dangerous release of histamines, and various cardiovascular effects. It cannot be administered intranasally (snorting). Codeine free base can be smoked on the aluminum foil ("chasing the dragon") similarly to smoking heroin. Q) What are the effects of Codeine addiction? A) Codeine is absorbed quickly from the GI tract. Its first pass through the liver results in very little loss of the drug. This contrasts with morphine in which over 90% of the drug is metabolized in the first pass through the liver. This results a considerable loss of potency when administered orally. Narcotics induce an "opioid analgesia" by altering the perception of pain at the spinal cord and brain. They also affect emotional responses to pain. Opioids have stimulating effects as well because they block inhibitory neurotransmitters. Repeated use of these drugs can cause long-term changes in the way the nervous system functions. Side effects of codeine abuse can include:
Q) What are the symptoms of withdrawal? A) The worst symptoms pass within a few days, but it can take months to feel normal.
Q) What is Codeine addiction? A) Addiction to codeine is a major risk with prolonged use (more than 2-3 weeks). Even moderate doses of some narcotics can result in a fatal overdose. When increasing doses of narcotics, the person may first feel restless and nauseous and then progress to loss of consciousness and abnormal breathing. Other risks include withdrawal symptoms that may last for months. Addictive drugs like codeine activate the brain's reward systems. The promise of reward is very intense. This causes the individual to crave the drug and to focus activities around taking the drug. This is what causes addiction. Codeine can also reduce a person's level of consciousness, harming the ability to think or be fully aware of present surroundings. |
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