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Last year, over 74 million controlled drugs were prescribed in England alone, with more than 25 million of these being Schedule 5 drugs, including codeine, according to data from the Care Quality Commission.

Codeine, a commonly prescribed painkiller, is listed as an opioid drug, reports MirrorOnline .

It targets the opioid receptors in the brain and other organs to produce effects like those to morphine, providing significant pain relief.

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The NHS often prescribes codeine for post-operative pain or injury-related pain, especially when other painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen do not work.

Often,

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