Gas chromatographic study of the urinary codeine-to-morphine ratios in controlled codeine consumption and in mass...

The urinary codeine-to-morphine ratios in fifteen volunteers administered codeine tablets at intervals were studied by gas chromatography (GC) and compared with one month's GC results for enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique (EMIT)-screened urine specimens in a mass-screening programme for abuse of opiate drugs, particularly heroin. It appears that when M less than 2 and C/M greater than 0 or when M greater than 2 and C/M greater than 0.5, where C and M are codeine and morphine concentrations in micrograms per 10 ml of urine, codeine consumption has to be presumed.