According to the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) cited by the Parisian, adolescent drug diversion with codeine, over-the-counter pain relievers, would become a worrying phenomenon. Used as a recreational drug, these drugs have already caused 5 drug intoxications since the beginning of the year and two teenagers have died.
A very addictive painkiller
Codeineis a pain reliever from the opium family. Very effective in the fight against moderate to severe pain, it is also very addictive. If you snort it or inject it, the effects are multiplied, explains Florence Vorspan, addictologist at Fernand-Vidal hospital in Paris.
A year ago, the National Medicines Safety Agency launched an alert on the diversion by teenagers of codeine cough syrups which, mixed with sodas, become a drug. called “purple drank”.
The mother of 16-year-old Pauline, who died last May of an opioid overdose following the absorption of codeine-based painkillers, just started a petition on change.org to ask the new Minister of Health, Agnès Buzyn, that codeine-based drugs can no longer be sold freely in France.
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