Nigerians consume millions of bottles of codeine syrup per day

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madoka

madoka

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Jun 22, 2004
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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-43994087

Nigeria this week announced a ban on the production and import of the syrup.

The BBC investigation showed the syrup being sold on the black market for young Nigerians to get high.

The probe recorded a number of pharmaceutical employees selling the drug illegally.

Prices of the syrup on the black market have shot up since the ban.

Officials estimate that about three million bottles of codeine syrup are being drunk a day in just two states, Kano and Jigawa.

Excessive consumption of codeine can cause organ failure and schizophrenia.
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There's some 13 million people in Kano and Jigawa who are consuming 3,000,000 bottles of codeine every day! :eek:
 
H

Herr Kutz

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Jun 14, 2009
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I know I'm always disappointed when my bottle of cough syrup runs out when I get sick. The stuff just tastes so good.
 
SKORPI0

SKORPI0

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$14/bottle x 3 million bottles/day = $42 million/day. Where's all that money and volume of syrup coming from? :eek:
 
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GagHalfrunt

GagHalfrunt

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SKORPI0 said:
$14/bottle x 3 million bottles/day = $42 million/day. Where's all that money and volume of syrup coming from? :eek:
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That was my first question too. $10-$14 a bottle doesn't seem like much to us, but it sure as hell is for them. Middle class income in Nigeria is something like $125-$150 a week. Half a bottle a day habit is a pretty big chunk of their available money.
 
dave_the_nerd

dave_the_nerd

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Feb 25, 2011
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GagHalfrunt said:
That was my first question too. $10-$14 a bottle doesn't seem like much to us, but it sure as hell is for them. Middle class income in Nigeria is something like $125-$150 a week. Half a bottle a day habit is a pretty big chunk of their available money.
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Addicts gonna addict. There are people in the US spending 90% of their income of meth or heroin.
 
Mayne

Mayne

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Why can't people just stick with weed and beer? I don't understand addictions.
 
Muse

Muse

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Herr Kutz said:
I know I'm always disappointed when my bottle of cough syrup runs out when I get sick. The stuff just tastes so good.
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"Nigeria this week announced a ban on the production and import of the syrup.

The BBC investigation showed the syrup being sold on the black market for young Nigerians to get high."

Sheesh, can't remember the last time I had a real cough, much less bought or consumed cough syrup. Codeine, eh? Well, Nigeria seems like a hell hole these days, I keep hearing stories (the news) of massive horrendous terrorism. Environments like that could induce flight to drug addiction.
 
Mayne

Mayne

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I've never used cough syrup..it always seemed like a placebo to me. but whatever floats your boat I guess.
 
madoka

madoka

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GagHalfrunt said:
That was my first question too.
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My first question was what effect taking all that codeine had on the cold rate in Nigeria. :p

What cough syrup even has codeine in it? I assume I've had some in the past, but I don't remember even wanting any more let alone becoming addicted to it.
 
WelshBloke

WelshBloke

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Jan 12, 2005
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I've taken a fair bit of codeine for pain and it's really not that great of a buzz, I certainly cant imagine getting a habit for it.
 
lupi

lupi

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Apr 8, 2001
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Had pneumonia once, after first doc visit before test results came back the only way I could sleep was by downing about 2/3 the bottle the night I got it. Nurse seemed kinda freaked out when I called the next day and said I finally got to sleep for the first time in 3 days, but this stuff isn't going to last long. Her concern seemed to be about it supposedly being a month long supply :)
 
bfun_x1

bfun_x1

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WelshBloke said:
I've taken a fair bit of codeine for pain and it's really not that great of a buzz, I certainly cant imagine getting a habit for it.
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Same here. I've never felt compelled to take it unless I need it. It's a life saver when my back goes out.
 
SearchMaster

SearchMaster

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Jun 6, 2002
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madoka said:
What cough syrup even has codeine in it? I assume I've had some in the past, but I don't remember even wanting any more let alone becoming addicted to it.
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It's prescription only.

I remember my mom once told me "don't even bother with that over the counter stuff without codeine - it's worthless". I guess the codeine worked well for her but I've never noticed much of a difference between prescription and non-prescription cough syrup.
 
zinfamous

zinfamous

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Jul 12, 2006
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GagHalfrunt said:
That was my first question too. $10-$14 a bottle doesn't seem like much to us, but it sure as hell is for them. Middle class income in Nigeria is something like $125-$150 a week. Half a bottle a day habit is a pretty big chunk of their available money.
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A lot of comparable drugs are quite cheap in 3rd World/developing countries compared to the US and others. A lot of the cost we absorb here to purchase this stuff is our subsidizing the easy availability of the same drug in poor countries that need it. In many cases, I think this is good and necessary: anti-malaria, HIV drugs.

I don't know if this is the case here, though. Not sure if the same price disparity exists with prescription cough medicines and other easily-abused general pain meds.
 
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