Got a prescription for that? Manitoba clamps down on painkillers with codeine
Starting in February, codeine will no longer be available without a prescription in Manitoba. How bold of a move is this? And will it be enough to curb abuse?
There are currently 350 people being treated for opioid addiction at Manitoba's Addictions Foundation. And more than a 100 on top of that are on a waiting list.
Codeine, a highly addictive painkiller, is available over-the-counter, without a prescription across Canada. But starting in February, it will no longer be available without a prescription in Manitoba. And medical professionals in other provinces and territories are watching the development closely.
How bold of a move is this? And will it be enough to curb abuse?
The Current's guests:
- Ron Guse, registrar of College of Pharmacists of Manitoba.
- Dr. Ginette Poulin, medical director of the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba.
- Dr. David Juurlink, head of the Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Toronto.
This segment was produced by The Current's Suzanne Dufresne and Marino Greco.