Health Minister Greg Hunt says requiring people to get a prescription for painkillers such as codeine will help curb rates of addiction.Credit:AAP
"It is being done to save lives because codeine is addictive and dangerous and that's why the medical authorities,in line with the other leading countries in the world,are putting this on a prescription basis."
Mr Hunt said alternatives to codeine products would still be available over the counter at pharmacies.
Codeine is a form of opioid that converts to morphine inside the body. It has long been used for mild pain relief and to treat coughing.
Doctors have warned it is not effective at treating chronic pain and long-term use can be dangerous.