Within days codeine medications won't be available over the counter and pharmacists expect it will take people a little getting used to.
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New regulations mean people will require a doctor's prescription for even low-dose codeine from February 1.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has deemed the medication "ineffective" for chronic pain and "dangerous" in high doses.
"We've been preparing ourselves for some time now for when the new law comes in," Amcal Plus Salamander Bay director Christian Hernandez said.
"There are people who have been taking codeine responsibly and it has been effective for them, when used intermittently and in the short term. These are the people who are going to be effected by these changes when they have been able to access them over the counter."
Codeine can be found in many common medications marketed as strong pain relievers and even cold and flu medications. These include brands like Nurofen Plus and Codral, respectively.
The TPA advises that continued use of codeine, like morphine, can lead to opioid tolerance, addiction and in high doses, even death.
By moving codeine onto the list of prescription medicines the TPA said the risks could be better managed.
"Anything containing codeine isn't necessarily better at treating pain but some people do respond better to it than others and in my experience it has worked well with the majority of people. There is a place for some codeine-containing pain relief with people when taken the right way." Mr Hernandez said.
Capital Chemist owner and pharmacist Tim Mizzi said it was important for clients to discuss their options.
"Every patient is different and depending on their needs there are other options," he said. "One model does not fit all and people handle pain differently so we'll sit down and discuss a plan that works for them."
Bracing, stretching and massage therapies could form part of the plan along with different medications.
"I'm not fearful of the change, there are other options and there's nothing to be scared of," Mr Mizzi said.
"There are alternative medicines available over the counter that won't necessarily require a visit to the GP or cost more."
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia sought to address codeine dependence in 2016 when it introduced MedsASSIST, which tracked sales across pharmacies. The system was discontinued after the TGA announced it would 'up-schedule' codeine.
"Where it all falls down is that there is no organisation that triages these people that need help," Mr Hernandez said. "There needs to be better assistance to GPs and pharmacists to provide people with codeine dependence support to manage potential codeine addiction."