DXM News: "Newspapers blamed for

[rfgdxm]

"There was an incident that involved over-the-counter cold medicine," Narak said. "The incident about kids using over-the-counter drugs is true.

"One of the concerns is that kids are reading about it in the paper . . . and they're trying it," Narak added."

Now THERE'S a switch! A school official blames newspapers, and not the Internet, for kids abusing Coricidin.

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll...mplate=printart

Coricidin overdose sends girl to hospital

By PERRY BEEMAN and JESSICA GRAHAM
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

A student at a West Des Moines junior high school was taken to a hospital Monday after overdosing on over-the-counter cold medicine, police said.

The girl, who attends Stilwell Junior High School, has since recovered, said authorities, who offered few details.

The student took Coricidin, one of many medications containing the cough suppressant dextromethorphan, which at extremely high doses can produce disorientation and hallucinogenic effects, along with loss of balance and judgment.

Youths across the country call taking high doses of the medicine "robo-tripping" or "skittling," because Coricidin pills resemble Skittles candy. The growing problem has led some pharmacies in Iowa and elsewhere to pull the medicines from store shelves.

School officials and police declined to name the girl. West Des Moines schools Superintendent Tom Narak declined to say whether the girl or any other students faced disciplinary action.

"There was an incident that involved over-the-counter cold medicine," Narak said. "The incident about kids using over-the-counter drugs is true.

"One of the concerns is that kids are reading about it in the paper . . . and they're trying it," Narak added.

Rhonda Emry, a pharmacist at the Hy-Vee grocery store at E.P. True Parkway and Grand Avenue in West Des Moines, said abuse of the cold medicine has been a problem across the country for several years.

"It's the one I've heard about being abused the most," Emry said. "We did put it behind the pharmacy counter at this location because we noticed some kids hanging around and looking at it."

Coricidin's manufacturer has a section on its Web site expressing concern about potential abuse and offering warnings and advice to parents. "Schering-Plough HealthCare Products is tremendously concerned about reports regarding abuse of medications that contain dextromethorphan (or DXM) by teenagers," the site says.

Dextromethorphan is in more than 125 over-the-counter products and can make people high in extremely high doses.

Besides euphoria and hallucinations, the drug also can cause dizziness, impaired judgment and loss of coordination. If taken with a cold medicine that also contains acetaminophen, high doses of the painkiller can threaten the user's liver.

West Des Moines police Lt. Jeff Miller said the incident at Stilwell has not been referred to juvenile authorities.

"A female student overdosed on what is believed to be Coricidin on Feb. 28," Miller said. "She took some pills." She was taken to a hospital in an ambulance and has recovered, he added.

Coricidin and other medicines containing dextromethorphan are legal to possess.

Barbara Burnett, a school board member with twin eighth-graders at Stilwell, said she hadn't heard about the incident. Her children hadn't mentioned it.

"Generally, they're very good about telling me what's going on at school, and I have heard nothing," Burnett said.

Kris Saggau, PTA president at Stilwell, said she heard about the incident the next day. "Nothing was sent home to parents yet," she said. "It's an isolated incident."

Saggau said she has a seventh-grader at Stilwell but hasn't heard about cold medicine abuse. "I have four children - never heard anything about it," she said.

Reporter Tom Suk contributed to this article.

Warning signs

Signs that children may be abusing
dextromethorphan:
• You find cold and cough medications in your child's backpack or purse.
• Cold and cough medicines are missing from home, or seem to be used up very quickly, especially outside the cold and flu season.
• Your child is visiting Web sites that sell dextromethorphan or encourage teens to share their experiences using the drug.
• Your child continues to take cold or flu medicines even after symptoms have subsided.
Source: National Institute
on Drug Abuse

Learn more

• www.coricidinhbp.com/cor_abuse_info.htm
• http://www.everydaywarriors.com/pare...t_pharming.htm
• www.theantidrug.com

[Krystena]

Skittles are bigger than CCCs.. for the record

[n__u]

WHOA WHAT A SURPRISE. I thought you couldn't get ideas from reading.

THE DXM HAS GOTTEN TO ME GUYS.

[Bishop]

search your childs room and invade their privacy for cold medicine.

[dawhiterabbit]

Coricidin's manufacturer has a section on its Web site expressing concern about potential abuse and offering warnings and advice to parents. "Schering-Plough HealthCare Products is tremendously concerned about reports regarding abuse of medications that contain dextromethorphan (or DXM) by teenagers," the site says.

they they give a fuck they are making tons of money of us! riate_smile: