A coroner has said public attention needs to be drawn to the dangers of taking excessive amounts of prescription drugs and mixing them with alcohol. Photo / File
A coroner has recommended the Ministry of Health draw public attention to the dangers of taking excessive amounts of prescription drugs and mixing them with alcohol following the death of a woman in Palmerston last year.
Otago-Southland coroner Coroner David Crerar found Judith Ann Turner died at her home on
February 3, 2012 of an overdose of codeine taken in conjunction with other prescribed drugs and alcohol, all of which created a depressant effect on her central nervous system.
Coroner Crerar said an ESR investigation into her death found the quantity of codeine taken created a level higher than the highest level previously recorded by ESR for a cause of death.
"Judith Turner, perhaps in a search for relief from her pain, has taken tablets, possibly failing to recognise their effects on her and possibly also forgetting that she had previously taken such tablets.
He ruled her death was accidental.
