Teens and Over-the-Counter Drug Abuse

We all worry about our kids making the right choices when it comes to the dangers of illegal street drugs like marijuana, cocaine, and crystalmeth to name a few. As if this is not a big enough concern, we need to be concerned about teens abusing over the counter (OTC) drugs , like cough medicine, to get high.  Today, roughly one out of three teenagers knows someone who has abusedover-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine to get high. Research shows that five percent of teens throughout the United States and of all backgrounds, self-report they have abused cough medicine to get high in the last year. You may be wondering, what is cough medicine abuse?  Simply, it is taking large doses of cough medicine to get high and the ‘cough syrup high’ is caused by taking a large amount of dextromethorphan (DXM) which is a common active ingredient found in many cough medications. Clearly, this sort of abuse—whether it’s called cough medicine abuse, or DXM abuse—can be dangerous.  Now you are wondering, what is dextromethorphan or DXM?  It is considered a safe and effective active ingredient found in many nonprescription, over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicines, including cough syrups, tablets, and gel caps. 

DXM produces few side effects and has a long history of safety when it is taken properly and used according to medicine label directions. However, when taken in large amounts, it can produce a ‘high’ and a number of dangerous side effects. The effects of a cough syrup high’ vary with the amount taken, size of the person and so on.  It seems the most common effects when taken in large amounts include confusion, dizziness, blurred vision, slurred speech, loss of physical coordination, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, rapid heartbeat, drowsiness, numbness of fingers and toes, and disorientation.  DXM abusers describe different dxm cough syrup highs ranging from mild distortions of color and sound to visual hallucinations, ‘out-of-body’ dissociative sensations, and loss of motor control. Side effects can be worsened if the DXM-containing cough medicine being abused also contains other ingredients to treat more than just coughs. If that is not enough to be concerned about, cough medicine is sometimes abused in combination with other medications, alcohol, and illegal drugs, which can clearly increase the chance for dangerous side effects. Frequently, teens find information about how to abuse cough medicine on the Internet. A number of websites promote the abuse of cough medicines containing DXM. Some of these sites even recommend how much to take; suggest other drugs to combine with DXM; instruct how to extract DXM from cough medicines; promote over the counter drug abuse in general; or even sell a raw, unfinished form of DXM for snorting. Be aware of what your teen does on the Internet, the web sites he or she visits, and the amount of time he or she is logged on.  

According to experts, the signs of teen drug abuse, regardless the type of drug being abused, whether legal or illegal, are the same. The fact is any teen can be using drugs.  For your child safety, it is important to be an alert parent. As a general rule, changes that are sudden or extreme may be a warning sign.   

Here are some signs to look for if you suspect your teen of taking drugs: 

• Change in friends 

• Change in eating or sleeping patterns 

• Changes in physical appearance and hygiene 

• Declining grades 

• Loss of interest in hobbies or favorite activities 

• Hostile and uncooperative attitude 

• Unexplained disappearance of household money 

• Visits to pro-drug websites 

• Empty drug or medicine containers or any kind of drug paraphernalia 

• Unusual chemical or medicinal smells on your child or in his room  

There are over one hundred OTC medicines on the market containing DXM. Either, it is the only active ingredient or in combination with other active ingredients. Products include Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Cough Formula, Coricidin HBP Cough and Cold, Dimetapp® DM, Mucinex® DM tablets, PediaCare cough medicines, particular Robitussin® and Sudafed cough products, Theraflu, Triaminic, Tylenol Cough and Tylenol Cold products, Vicks 44 Cough Relief products, and certain Vicks Dayquil and Nyquil LiquiCaps. A number of private label brand products contain DXM.  What to look for, you guessed it-look for “dextromethorphan” in the active ingredients. Remember, it is always best to be safe, not sorry.