Dextromethorphan, also called DXM, is a cough-suppressing ingredient that is found in over 70 different over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medications including Vicks 44, Robitussin DM, and Coricidin HBP. Mediations containing DXM are often taken at higher than recommended doses to cause euphoria, dizziness, enhanced awareness, and/or excitation. However, negative side effects of sweating, panic, nausea, fever, coma, and even death may result. Abuse of OTC cough and cold medications is seen mostly in teenagers and young adults. Reports of teenagers taking up to three bottles of cough syrup or 30 tablets have been reported. In Texas, larger chain stores are requiring the purchaser be 18 years of age and provide a valid ID.
ABOVE IMAGE: Coricidin HBP aka "Skittles"A typical dose of DXM is 45-90 mg daily. Abusers of DXM have four dose-dependent stages:
Stage 1: 100-200 mg= Mild stimulation
Stage 2: 200-400 mg= Euphoria and hallucinations
Stage 3: 300-600 mg= Distorted visual perceptions
Stage 4: 500-1500 mg= Dissociative sedation
( Chart obtained from www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugs_concern/dextro_m/dextro_m.htm)
A 6-year study (1999-2004) done by the California Poison Control System, showed a 10-fold increase in DXM abuse cases in all ages. This is a serious problem and is causing many unnecessary deaths.
One of our key weapons to lowering the abuse of DXM is education! It is important for parents to keep cough and cold medications out of the reach of children and to explain the dangers to teenagers. Healthcare providers should inform patients to stick to the recommended doses of OTC cough and cold medications. It is hard to warn people of the dangers of DXM without feeling like we have just explained how to get "high." For this reason the negative side effects (especially of diarrhea and vomiting) should be emphasized.
4 comments:
It's scary to think that kids have access to a drug in their own homes. I had not heard of this before viewing this site, but my friend viewing this with me, said she had heard of "pill parties" when she was in high school. The young attendees would bring medications from their parents medicine cabinets and put them all in a bowl and then just pass it around as the party food. It's scary to think that young adolescents do things that are so threatening to their own lives. Surely there must be a way to teach the parents as a way to prevent the teens access to these.
Teenagers need to be aware of the problems that can arise with abusing over the counter medications. Middle schools and high schools should include this information in when teaching kids about the dangers of drugs.
It's hard to prevent this sort of drug usage with teenagers because these are medicines that are needed to help with cold symptoms and such. It's medications that we have in our homes to help out and when teenagers start to abuse the situation it makes it a little more difficult to have these readily available for when it is actually needed.
I always thought there was alcohol in cold medicines and that is why kids were taking it. LOL I guess it was something totally different!
Post a Comment