Urinary excretion levels of morphine and codeine in subjects consuming medicinal preparations containing morphine or codeine and in drug abusers.

Urinary levels of morphine and codeine were studied in two groups of people: Group A--urine samples of 76 subjects receiving three different medicinal preparations containing morphine or codeine. Group B--urine samples of 67 drug abusers detected at urinary mass screening. Distinct differences in these levels were observed. In Group A, UPPER 99% Confidence limits of morphine concentrations of 2.56 microgram/ml, 2.40 microgram/ml and 2.29 microgram/ml were reached after consumption of prescribed doses of Syrup Phensedyl, Tablet Codeine Co and Kaolin et Morphine mixture respectively. In Group B, the LOWER 99% Confidence limit of morphine concentration was 3 microgram/ml. In contrast, the codeine levels obtained for both groups were similar. The clear separation of the ranges of morphine values for the two groups shows that the urinary morphine level forms a reliable index for the differentiation between these two groups.