3 ms·

IANAD (am not a doctor), but codeine is allegedly more effective at smaller doses when paired with other painkillers. Smaller doses = less potential to develop

IANAD (am not a doctor), but codeine is allegedly more effective at smaller doses when paired with other painkillers. Smaller doses = less potential to develop an abusive dependency. It's fun to see sinister intentions in government policies, and maybe they are sinister, I don't know. But there's nothing sinister about arranging things so that significantly less dangerous are more widely available to the public than are doses of straight codeine. That some druggies destroy their livers with Vikes/Percocet is tragic, but it's strange that the usually libertarian-leaning Hacker News would be so opposed to making good painkillers available by prescription. There is something nanny-state-ish about removing a relatively safe painkiller from the market because of what abusers might do with it. Also, the doctor you quoted seems rather paranoid...

mike_organon 17y ago
Thanks for the link, idlewords. Cynicalkane, who on this thread said codeine should be removed from the market? I inferred from the articles that acetaminophen and "poisons" should be removed from codeine, so people who need the painkiller aren't paying a cost with their livers because others might abuse the drug. The first nanny state move was limiting access to codeine and the sinister move was adding poison (assuming it's all true).
- idlewords 17y ago
  Based on the same yarchive link I cited, the risk seems to be twofold - acute damage to liver or kidneys by recreational users who takes too many pills at once (and don't know enough to separate out the acetaminophen with cold water), as well as chronic kidney damage in people who are legitimately taking the drug for prolonged periods of time. I should stress that there aren't any additional 'poisons' added to opiate drugs. Rather, it's the toxic effects of acetaminophen at high doses that are being exploited in a misguided attempt to deter abuse.

mike_organon 17y ago

Thanks for the link, idlewords. Cynicalkane, who on this thread said codeine should be removed from the market? I inferred from the articles that acetaminophen and "poisons" should be removed from codeine, so people who need the painkiller aren't paying a cost with their livers because others might abuse the drug. The first nanny state move was limiting access to codeine and the sinister move was adding poison (assuming it's all true).

idlewords 17y ago
Based on the same yarchive link I cited, the risk seems to be twofold - acute damage to liver or kidneys by recreational users who takes too many pills at once (and don't know enough to separate out the acetaminophen with cold water), as well as chronic kidney damage in people who are legitimately taking the drug for prolonged periods of time. I should stress that there aren't any additional 'poisons' added to opiate drugs. Rather, it's the toxic effects of acetaminophen at high doses that are being exploited in a misguided attempt to deter abuse.