Teens Abusing Cough Meds

[torque]

Potential dangers of over-the-counter cold medicines

10:57 PM PST on Monday, February 11, 2008

By MIMI JUNG / KING 5 News


Teens have been abusing cough medicine for years to get high.

TACOMA, Wash. – A Tacoma couple has a warning for other parents about a common household item that nearly killed their son.

Teens have been abusing cough medicine for years to get high.

Not breathing and on the brink of death, Jody’s 16-year-old son was in a coma for three days after overdosing on Robitussin.

“He was convulsing and it was just terrifying,” she said. “Nothing else showed up in his system except for PCP, which boiled down to mass doses of Robitussin.”

Jody says the Robitussin gave her son a high that caused him to hallucinate and almost killed him.

Teenagers call it “robotripping.”

Chris Anderson should know. He says he shoplifted the cough syrup from different stores and drank four to six bottles every day for two months.

“I remember seeing hallucinations, I remember an elephant walk by me,” he said.

Pharmacists say the dextromethorphan in Robitussin can cause a narcotic-like overdose if consumed in large quantities.

It’s a threat Jody and her husband Bob never knew about. They want pharmacists to be required to put the Robitussin behind the counter, making it more difficult for teens to steal.

“I don't want no one to die, that's my biggest fear is they're gonna go have some fun and someone's not going to make it this time,” said Bob.

After two Whatcom County teenagers died from overdosing on cough medicine, Congressman Rick Larsen helped introduce legislation that would crack down on bulk sale of DXM over the Internet, which is how some teens get their hand on the drug. It passed the House last October, but has not yet been signed into law.

Get this part: “Nothing else showed up in his system except for PCP, which boiled down to mass doses of Robitussin.”

Oh, so that's how they make DXM!

[mudpeople]

Ahah... "We didn't find anything in his system. Oh, yeah, besides the PCP. So that obviously points to mass doses of Robitussin."

Yeeeaaaah. Thats some sound logic right there.

An elephant walked by him, whoooooaaaa, maaaaaannn....

[Bhikku]

Well i suppose that being suspected of being of DXM is better than beign suspected of being on PCP.

[SkiTzOz]

o noeZz teh PCP maked meh st00ped az fuk harr harrr.

[Psychotic Break]

Chris Anderson should know. He says he shoplifted the cough syrup from different stores and drank four to six bottles every day for two months.

It's a wonder he lived after that... but sure... blame the drug instead of the completely irresponsible user.

[dave303]

How the fck did that guy manage to keep down 4-6 bottles of cough syrup every day? He must have spent more time throwing up than a supermodel

[Companion Cube]

4-6 bottles if there 4ozerz definitly isen't impossible but it is very irrisposible and unnessassary.

[EphemeralMelody]

Originally posted by torque@Feb 12 2008, 11:21 PM

All I have to say is: LOL.

[SkiTzOz]

Originally posted by EphemeralMelody+Feb 26 2008, 02:53 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (EphemeralMelody @ Feb 26 2008, 02:53 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--torque@Feb 12 2008, 11:21 PM

All I have to say is: LOL. [/b][/quote]
I wouldn't doubt that if he was downing 6 bottles of tussin a day.