Australian Codeine Law
Jan 17, 2012
From SUSDP - Poison Standard 2011 - Department of Health and Ageing, Australian Government In the case of codeine such concentration, strength or quantity is calculated as anhydrous codeine (not as Codeine phosphate) AVAILABLE ON SHELF IN ANY PHARMACY (cold and flu medication) - Schedule 2 CODEINE in preparations for the treatment of coughs and colds when: (a) not combined with any other opiate substance; (b) compounded with one or more other therapeutically active substances, of which at least one is phenylephrine and not more than one is an analgesic substance: (i) in divided preparations containing 10 mg or less of codeine per dosage unit; or (ii) in undivided preparations containing 0.25 per cent or less of codeine; (c) labelled with a recommended daily dose not exceeding 60 mg of codeine; and (d) in packs containing not more than 6 days' supply at the maximum dose recommended on the label. AVAILABLE ONLY FROM THE PHARMACIST, BEHIND THE COUNTER - Schedule 3 CODEINE when: (a) not combined with any other opiate substance; (b) compounded with one or more other therapeutically active substances, of which not more than one is an analgesic substance: (i) in divided preparations containing 12 mg or less of codeine per dosage unit; or (ii) in undivided preparations containing 0.25 per cent or less of codeine; (c) labelled with a recommended daily dose not exceeding 100 mg of codeine; and (d) in packs containing not more than 5 days of supply at the maximum dose recommended on the label, except when included in Schedule 2. AVAILABLE ONLY ON PRESCRIPTION - Schedule 4 CODEINE when compounded with one or more other therapeutically active substances: (a) in divided preparations containing 30 mg or less of codeine per dosage unit; or (b) in undivided preparations containing 1 per cent or less of codeine, except when included in Schedule 2 or 3. If not in any of the above categories, it is in Schedule 8 (Controlled Medication)