As of Feb.1, exempted codeine-containing products such as Tylenol 1 will require a prescription to purchase in all pharmacies across Manitoba.
This follows an outcry among pharmacists who believe their abilities to control access to codeine have not been sufficient to limit the drug’s abuse, particularly in the form of Tylenol 1.
“Federal law says if you have eight mg of codeine, and at least two other ingredients in therapeutic levels, the product can be sold without a prescription, by a pharmacist, for a recognized medical or dental reason,” says Ronald Guse, registrar with the Manitoba College of Pharmacists. “Anything over eight mg needs a prescription.”
For Tylenol 1, this meant a standard 300-mg dose of acetaminophen and 15 mg of caffeine to narrow the blood vessels.
Despite having been an over-the-counter medication, exempted codeine products are required to be kept behind the counter. Patients must receive a pharmacist consultation prior to purchase.
Yet the overuse and abuse of codeine has become a concern throughout Manitoba, including the North.
It’s typically found in the form of Tylenol 3 and its generic counterparts, consisting of 30-mg of narcotic codeine and 300-mg of the common headache medication acetaminophen.
Jaden Brandt, a pharmacist in Thompson, expressed his support for the change.
“Frankly, this is a medication that should have had prescription status a long time ago,” he said. “It’s prescription-only in the US and other developed countries for a good reason. It’s an effective pain reliever, but over long periods it can become more of a problem than the pain it was meant to treat.”
