The pharmaceutical industry is set to launch a pilot program for stricter control of codeine.
The Codeine Care Project will impose some restrictions on customers buying medicine containing the drug - when it comes into effect from October.
South Africa has been flagged by the World Health Organisation as being the highest user of the addictive drug in Africa.
David Bay-ever - who is the deputy chairman of the Central Drug Authority - says better control will help prevent an increase in codeine addiction.
"A record will be kept on a national data base which will record the particulars of that supply. The patients will be asked to identify themselves we will then monitor their use and make sure when we notice that they are getting to a point where it might become detrimental to their health making them aware of the possibility that there is a problem" he said,
