An Over-the-counter High

[void]

(CBS) A disturbing new trend is playing out in emergency rooms across the United States: Kids try to get high on over-the-counter cough medicines, and they're overdosing on the drugs.

Dr. Charles Nozicka, medical director of pediatrics at St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, Ill., dropped by The Early Show to discuss the problem with co-anchor Hannah Storm.

Says Dr. Nozicka, "I think, over the years, kids have abused cough medicines and cough preparations. In the 1970s, they had codeine in them, alcohol, and people would abuse those products. In the 1970s, dextromethorphan (DXM) was added as a much safer alternative and, in over-the-counter preparations, it is very safe.

"However," he adds, "they found if they take too much of the medication or take more than the prescribed or recommended amounts, they will get a high from that."

He describes DXM as "a medication similar to codeine and has the same effects as codeine has as a cough suppressant as contained in the over-the-counter preparations. In excessive amounts, it also can have mental status changes…and a high, just like you would (get) from a narcotic."

One of the more disturbing aspects: Kids are actually getting information on the Internet about the amount of cough medicine they need to take in order to get high.

How old are these kids and how much cough medicine are they taking?

At his medical facility, says Dr. Nozicka, they are seeing users as young as 12 and ranging in age up to 16. Unfortunately, cough medications are perceived as being safe, because they're an over-the-counter preparation, and they're legal.
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Full Article:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/05/...ain591398.shtml

[EvS]

One of the more disturbing aspects: Kids are actually getting information on the Internet about the amount of cough medicine they need to take in order to get high.

Congratulations, we are the enemy.

damn i hope the dextroverse doesn't get shut down

[sepulture]

I think that daily media telling unsuspecting 'kids' about cough medicine getting you high will increase the amount of abuse. The internet is not your enemy.

i love how they keep referring to it as a "new trend". i iwsh people would research dxm at least a little bit before writing their dumbass articles.

[levomethorphan]

Originally posted by []\/[]ISFIT@Jan 5 2004, 06:36 PM
damn i hope the dextroverse doesn't get shut down

Why would it get shut down, and who would have the authority to shut down a site that is breaking no laws?

Originally posted by levomethorphan+Jan 5 2004, 07:44 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (levomethorphan @ Jan 5 2004, 07:44 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--[]\/[]ISFIT@Jan 5 2004, 06:36 PM
damn i hope the dextroverse doesn't get shut down

Why would it get shut down, and who would have the authority to shut down a site that is breaking no laws? [/b][/quote]
The dextroverse should be safe on its new host.
The last time it got shutdown was just because the old host yanked the site cuz some parent called the cops or something saying there were illegal drug deals going down on the forums

Oh and for once i wish the media would mention the CCC harm reduction sites.
These are people paying out of their own damn pocket telling people not to use CCC and all the media does is talk about the bad of the internet.

[C20H25N3O]

Originally posted by murmurmaid@Jan 5 2004, 06:52 PM
i love how they keep referring to it as a "new trend". i iwsh people would research dxm at least a little bit before writing their dumbass articles.

than this article just posted at webMd will make you happy

eens Still Getting High on Cough Remedy

Nonprescription Dextromethorphan -- 'DXM' -- Widely Available

By Daniel DeNoon
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Monday, January 05, 2004
> Email to a friend > Printer-friendly version

Jan. 5, 2004 -- It's not new. It's not illegal. And when abused as a recreational drug, it's not safe.

Generations of teens have used the cough suppressant dextromethorphan to get high. And every year, according to the U.S. government statistics, thousands of users end up in emergency rooms.....
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read the rest: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/79/960...0000_1000_ts_01