Addiction

The date for the reclassification of codeine coming into force will not be 31 January 2020, Medsafe group manager Chris James says

The industry body representing medicines manufacturers is concerned a lack of clarity around the upcoming codeine-containing medicines reclassification may result in a situation like the recent dextromethorphan-containing medicines “shambles”

With biological ages 15 years older than their chronological ages and life expectancies cut short by an average of 20 years, opioid substitution patients don’t have easy lives

Today’s announcement by the Government on illicit drug reforms, boosting both treatment and enforcement, has been welcomed by addictions experts as a positive start 

The powerful opioid fentanyl may be reclassified amid fears of a looming repetition of over­seas trends of abuse and bootleg manufacture

Gaming disorder has been recognised by the WHO as a medical condition

Auckland pharmacist Arthur Bauld leaves his judgement at the door to help people struggling to keep their lives together in the face of opioid addiction

The New Zealand Self-Medication Industry is calling for the introduction of a monitoring system for codeine sales before it will support a Medsafe recommendation allowing pharmacists to supply low doses of the drug without a prescription.

A Dunedin researcher who admitted to making fake prescriptions to feed his painkiller addiction has had his sentencing date adjourned until the end of this month

A recommendation that codeine-based painkillers be removed from pharmacy shelves has pharmacists, industry bodies and academics questioning the extent of opioid addiction in New Zealand