Is Your Teen Robotripping?
Does your teenager abuse cough medicine?
According to the Partnership for a Drug Free America,
one in ten teens swallows too much cough medicine
on purpose – to get high. And, many parents have no
idea.
Dextromethorphan (DXM) is a cough suppressant. It
is found in numerous over-the-counter cough
medicines and combination cold and flu remedies.
There are familiar brand names such as Robitussin
(“robotripping”), Coricidin (red tablets,
thus “skittling”), and Vicks; DXM is also found in
many store brands. It is legal and safe when used
according to label instructions. However, more than
the recommended dose can be dangerous.
It is also dangerous to purchase powdered DXM over
the web. Abusers put the powder into capsules or
take it with alcohol, but the dosing of this
unregulated chemical can be guesswork.
Swallowing large amounts of DXM can cause an
“out-of-body” experience and hallucinations, the
effects
that abusers are looking for. Teens who abuse DXM
can also experience nausea, vomiting, seizures,
psychosis, coma, and respiratory arrest. There can
be interactions with other drugs, including alcohol.
There can also be injuries from the behavioral effects
of the drug, for example traffic crashes while high.
A danger that teens often overlook is overdosing on
other drugs found in products with DXM. Cold and flu
products may contain acetaminophen, a pain reliever
and fever reducer. An overdose of acetaminophen
can cause fatal liver damage; this is possible in the
quantities that abusers swallow. Cold and flu
products may also contain antihistamines and
decongestants; these can make DXM poisoning
worse, for example, by increasing the risk of seizures.
There is conflicting evidence about whether DXM is
physically addicting. Some users, though, consume
DXM in large quantities regularly and need
professional help to stop.
If someone has overdosed on DXM and is
unconscious, not breathing, or having seizures, call
911 right away. Otherwise, call the Poison Center at
1-800-222-1222.
Parents and caregivers should include cough medicine
abuse on their list of dangers to discuss with
pre-teens and teens, along with more “traditional“
drugs
and inhalants. For more information about DXM
poisoning, call the Poison Center. For additional
background information, visit Partnership for a Drug
Free America. To read what users have to say
about
DXM
(and numerous other drugs, some of which you may
never have heard about), visit Erowid. Be
prepared to be surprised.
