Quebec is proposing new restrictions on Benadryl and other over-the-counter medications containing only diphenhydramine.
Under a draft regulation, these products would no longer be available on pharmacy shelves and would be kept behind the counter. Sales would require a pharmacist to record the transaction in a patient's file.
The measure was recommended by a coroner last year following the 2023 overdose death of an 18-year-old in St-Mathias-sur-Richelieu. The coroner cited the uncontrolled availability of the potentially lethal substance and referenced a previous uptick in deaths linked to a social media challenge.
The proposal is currently subject to a public consultation.