Anyone who lives near wisconsin good news. you can buy codeine OTc in a phamcy. I had to provide a drive liscens and sign in a book but it can be done legaly
I just puchased a bottle of generic coedeine 120 ml 10 mg codeine per tsp.

Well, that's great if you're there. They CAN but usually WON'T or DON'T sell it in many states. I once asked a pharmacist about it in Nevada, and she told me, "Oh, no, we'd have every junkie for 500 miles hanging around, lining up." That's the mentality in a nutshell. I swear to God, this same pharmacist (at a SaveOn) also told me that a very high-powered hydrocodone containing cough syrup (could she have been referring to Tussionex?) was also, technically, available OTC in the state of Nevada, but that no pharm would dispense it in a million years. I found this very hard to believe. Surely, this woman didn't know what she was talking about, needs to go back to school; this can't have been true.

I remember reading an article in a Consumer Reports self help book several years ago which stated that Codeine could still be purchased OTC in a few states, but for some reason they did not say which states. If Wisconsin is one, does anyone know the others?

Yeah, It'd be nice to know. I wouldn't want to walk into my local pharmacy, ask for codeine cough syrup and have them call the cops.......

Hi JohnG,
I'm bad at metric/spoon math: you say the bottle was 120 ml and had 10 mg codeine per teaspoon. How many teaspoons of 10mg codeine doses were in the 120 ml bottle (if I read this right?).

ANYONE KNOW THE OTHER STATES SELLING CODEINE apap pills or syrup OTC?

I remember 10 or so years ago that I could get codeine/apap pills (as much as you wanted) when I lived in Canada. I think they were weak though, maybe only 2.5 mg codeine per pill, although I'm not sure since it was so long ago. But even though this was codeine and not hydrocodone, it was good pain relief for me since I had no tolerance to opiates then.

I guess people on the border could buy some along with their other meds and cigarettes. It's probably illegal to bring back more than a certain amount to the US, even if declared....

You can buy codeine cough syrup in the state of TN OTC, but you have sign for it. The only problem is there are no drug stores that wants carry it. There is only one in my city that carries it. They have been around about 80 years. Whenever I have been sick and called and asked if they had it in stock it is always sold out. There is only a limited amount that they can order at a time, and when they get it in it goes fast. You almost have to be there when it comes in to get it. They said they don't know when it will show up.

In NJ, you can purchase 4 oz. of Robitussin AC OTC. That's pretty weak stuff, and if you drink the whole bottle you will have severe diarrhea; they do not want you getting off on this stuff. It's pretty hard to find a pharmacy who will do it (I've only been able to do it at mom-n-pop pharms, and even then they have to know you).

-yawkaw

I believe the OTC codeine cough syrup (Robitussin AC, I think?) comes in the strength of 10mgs/5mls (one teaspoon). So you are only talking 240mgs total of codeine in a 120ml bottle. About the equivalent of 8 tylenol 3's per bottle.
It's been a long time since I've purchased this, and I believe I got it in Washington state some years ago.

Just my two cents from the Atlanta Georgia area - not hard to get from the mom and pop shops here at all if you know the drill. You can sign for 4 oz every 72 hours - I always ask for novahistine DH or novahistine expectorant. The DH is okay - the expextorant is rank. I have two or three or four places that will always sell it to me - but I'm pretty non threatening - total subrban housewife, mini-van driving 30 something blonde. Have a nice little story about I have this bad non productive cough and a friend told me I might be able to get something a little stronger OTC, etc...I've had more places say yes than no. Mom and pops are the way to go - especially if they are run by people who weren't perhaps born in the USA. Let's face it - the non-codeine stuff has nothing in in that would help with a cough - at least for me! Take care!

Same here in SC. Used to be about 6 drugstores in my town that would sell it, (CVS for one) but no more. Now it's down to a couple of Mom and Pop stores. You just sign for it, and if they don't know you they may ask for your driver's license. I know you can also find the Tylenol 1's on the US side of the Canadian border, (but they may have stopped now, this was about 2 years ago before they got so strict).

what about W.V. as if i don't know?)

The best thing to do is go into a small local drugstore in your area and ask if they carry the Novahistine DH/or the generic brand. That way you don't have to ask if it contains codeine. I'm not sure about W.V. but will try to find out for you. Hope this helps. EMJ

If you're from Texas, it's a big fat 'no'. They quit allowing it over 20 years ago.

I tried calling 10 or so local pharmacies about 60 miles out of atlanta, and no one carries it... supposedly.

Where in Wisconsin, may I ask? I'm from IL and if it's not that far, I will drive the distance. Never too bad to have a bottle of that on hand around here. When I get sick in the winter, I tend to get really bad bronchitis and sometimes developes into pneumonia.

lemongrass

Here is WISCONSIN, it's been about three years or so, but I used to buy the codeine cough med OTC, just had to sign for it. Since then, all the mom and pops have stopped carrying it. I am not sure if the laws changed and they can't sell it or they are just fearful of selling it.

Anyone know?

Michigan does, at least in the summer of 2001. Specifically the small towns North part of Lower P. Just had to sign for it, and Mom and Pops did. Not Walmart tho'.
Arkansas did (or maybe still does) too, in 1996. Only in rural areas tho'.

Quote:

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Only in rural areas tho'.

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yeah rural areas are still run by humans and are humane. wish there were more of 'em, and less walmarts. sigh

All hydrocodone containing cough syrups (from 1.67mg to 10mg per teaspoon) are schedule III drugs and can NOT be purchased without an Rx.

STATES THAT STILL SELL SOME SCHEDULE-V DRUGS OVER THE COUNTER: Illinois,Ohio, North Carolina, Washington state, Masssachusetts (Donnagel-PG and Parepectolin antidiarrheals only).

NOTE THAT PHARMACIES IN EVEN THESE STATES DO NOT HAVE TO SELL YOU SCHEDULE-V DRUGS, SINCE THEIR SALE IS A MATTER OF DISCRETION OF THE PHARMACIST.

Here are the schedule V's

codeine cough syrups (containing 10mg/5cc, such as Robitussin A-C,terpin hydrate and codeine elixir, Novahistine DH, Novahistine Expectorant, Cheracol), opium antidiarrheal preparations (such as Donnagel PG, Parepectolin) and diphenoxylate/atropine

Yea, I'm sure that is because they don't WANT to carry it...

I bought it once at the Little 5 Points Pharmacy in ATL, but they were "out" when asking again.

hey opie,

don't forget the laudanum!

angel