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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Codeine is an opioid analgesic that is also used as a cough suppressant medication. It is a commonly abused drug and can lead to tolerance, physical dependence, and addiction.Possible long-term consequences of codeine misuse include frequent oversedation, a risk of overdose, chronic constipation, sexual dysfunction, low sex drive, and disrupted menstrual cycles.What Is Codeine?Codeine is a prescription opiate analgesic medication used to treat mild to moderate pain and to suppress cough.1 In its many formulations, codeine is available in tablet and capsule forms as well as oral solutions, suspensions, and syrups. As a cough suppressant, codeine is included in various combination products, including Robitussin AC, Brontex, Cheratussin AC, Guiatuss AC, Halotussin AC, Nalex AC, Vanacof, and others.2Codeine, in any formulation, is a controlled substance. It is listed as a Schedule II, III, and V drug by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) depending on the specific type of medication and the dose of codeine contained in it. Codeine sulfate tablets are classified as Schedule II controlled substances, meaning that they have high potential for abuse and severe physiological dependence.3,4Codeine is frequently misused for its ability to cause relaxation and euphoria at high doses. People who misuse the drug may attempt to crush, chew, snort, or inject the tablets. A common method of misuse is to combine codeine with soda and sometimes hard candies or cannabis. Some users mix codeine syrup with alcohol.1,3How Long Does Codeine Remain in the System?In addition to the type of drug test being used, the detectability of codeine in anyone’s system can depend on:5,7Weight.Metabolism, which can be affected by age, gender, or ethnicity.Urine pH levels.Urine concentration, which can be affected by fluid intake.Kidney or liver dysfunction.How much codeine the person took prior to the test, and when they took it in relation to the testing.How long the person has been using codeine.Thus, it’s important to speak with a healthcare professional to determine exactly how long codeine will affect you based on your unique variables.How Is Codeine Broken Down in the Body?Codeine is metabolized by the liver, which results in the production of metabolites. About 50-70% of codeine is converted to codeine-6-glucuronide, about 10-15% is converted to norcodeine, and as much as 15% to morphine. With the exception of morphine, these metabolites are inactive, meaning they do not produce any drug effects of their own.8,9Codeine and its metabolites are excreted in the urine. Some sources indicate that hydrocodone may also be a minor metabolite of codeine which, when present, can be excreted in the urine at concentrations as high as 11% that of the excreted codeine.8,9Many urine tests are able to detect not only codeine but its metabolites as well. Different tests can detect codeine, morphine, and norcodeine, as well as hydrocodone.5Codeine’s half-life is between 2.5 to 3 hours.9 Half-life is the amount of time it takes for half of a dose of codeine to be eliminated from a person’s system.Risks of MisuseRepeated misuse of codeine can lead to addiction, which is a chronic, relapsing condition in
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