DXM News: "Teen abusing DXM + AMT still in coma"

[rfgdxm]

And YES, there is a big difference between DMT and AMT.

http://www.bouldernews.com/bdc/cda/article...L-PRINT,00.html

http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/schools/art...2855753,00.html

Letter sent home by Tammy Quist
May 3, 2004

Editor's note: Fairview High School Principal Tammy Quist sent the following e-mail April 28 to the parents of Fairview students as well as to administrators of Boulder Valley School District schools. It contains in-depth information on the properties and health risks of abusing over-the-counter drugs such as Dextromethorphan, or Dex, a common ingredient in cough suppresants.
April 28, 2004

Dear Parents/Guardians:

We have been increasingly concerned with the abuse of over the counter medications by young people in our community and across the country. Ingestion of these chemicals when used in large doses or mixed with other drugs can often be fatal.

The most recent incident occurred last Friday when one of our Fairview students was admitted to the hospital and remains in a coma. It is excruciatingly painful to watch this family suffer while their son, brother, nephew, boyfriend and friend is fighting for his life. They want other parents and families to know that this is totally preventable and that we need to be vigilant about educating our children and be aware of their activities.

There are many substances out there that kids are abusing. In this particular instance, it appears that the mixture of Dextromethorphan, known as DXM, Dex or DM, and AMT, also known as DMT, were ingested. DXM is a drug sought by recreational users for its euphoric potential. Structurally related to codeine, it is widely used as a cough suppressant in cough and cold preparations sold over-the-counter. In order to get high, doses about ten times the recommended therapeutic dose must be ingested. If DM/DXM is taken by someone on anti-depressants, severe changes in mental status may occur, and this should be avoided.

What are the kids calling it?
What are the street names/slang terms for it?
Dex, DXM, Robo, Tussin, C-C-C, Triple C, Red Devils, Skittles

What Happens When Teens Abuse DXM?
Although DXM can be safely taken in 15- to 30-milligram doses to effectively suppress a cough, users tend to consume as much as 360 milligrams or more. Taking mass quantities of products containing DXM can cause hallucinations, loss of motor control, and "out-of-body" (disassociative) sensations.

Other possible side effects of DXM abuse include: confusion, impaired judgment, blurred vision, dizziness, paranoia, excessive sweating, slurred speech, nausea, vomiting <When consumed in large quantities, DXM can also cause hyperthermia, or high fever.

Being on the Lookout:

If you suspect that your child may be abusing over-the-counter medicines or if your teen often attends raves or dance clubs where DXM can likely be found in abundance, it might be a good idea to:

• Lock your medicine cabinet, or keep those OTC medicines that could potentially be abused in a less accessible place.

• Avoid stockpiling OTC medicines. Having too many OTC medications at your teen's disposal could make abusing them more tempting.

• Keep track of how much is in each bottle or container in your medicine cabinet.

• Keep an eye out for not only traditional-looking cough and cold remedies in your teen's room, but also strange-looking tablets (DXM is often sold on the Internet and at raves in its pure form in various shapes and colors).

• Look for possible warning signs of DXM abuse listed above.

• If your child wears sunglasses indoors, inquire why and look at their eyes.

• Monitor your child's Internet usage. Be on the lookout for suspicious websites and emails that seem to be promoting the abuse of DXM or other drugs, both legal and illegal.

Above all, talk to your kids about drug abuse and explain that even though taking lots of a cough or cold medicine seems harmless, it's not. Whether it comes from inside the family medicine cabinet or the corner drugstore, when taken in large amounts dextromethorphan is still a drug that can be just as deadly as those sold by drug dealers on a seedy street corner. And even if you don't think your teen is doing it, chances are they know someone who is.

Where can they find it?

DXM comes in many different forms. The most common are various over-the-counter cough suppressants (including Robitussin, Delsym, Pertussin, Drixoral, Vicks formula 44, Sucrets and several generic brands). Each brand contains different quantities of dextromethorphan, generally in the 20-30 mg per capsule range. Coricidin HBP comes in red gel-coated tablets and red gelcaps.

It can be deadly:

DXM should never be taken while on medications such as MAOIs and SSRIs, this may interact with DXM to cause serotonin syndrome. Some of the symptoms of serotonin syndrome include muscle rigidity, confusion, diarrhea, incoordination, low-grade fever, sweating, muscle tremor, mania, agitation, exaggerated reflexes, and nausea. This can also cause coma, and death. Some drugs to avoid taking while on DXM are:

• phentermine, fenfluramine, phen-fen (diet drugs)

• fluoxetine, tricyclics and lithium (SSRI antidepressants)

• terfenadine (SeldaneTM - prescription antihistamine), & possibly other non-drowsy antihistamines, such as ClaritinTM and HisminalTM (these can cause heart irregularities)

• antidepressants Desyrel (trazodone) & Serzone (nefazodone) (Possible liver damage)

• some SSRIs such as bupropion (WellbutrinTM) can give a prolonged (3+ day) hangover.

• also, cigarette smoke might be considered an MAOI, which may increase unwanted side-effects

• MDMA (extacy), while it isn't a MAOI, it should be avoided with DXM (possible heart problems)

• opiates can cause a fatal overdose when mixed with DXM.

AMT

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter found throughout the brain. Several "chemical cousins" of serotonin, called hallucinogenic tryptamines, are substances of abuse. While most of these drugs are synthetic, a few occur in nature (such as dimethyltryptamine, DMT) and are extracted from South American plants growing in the Amazon River Basin. This exotic-sounding compound is in reality one mouse-click away. It is sold as a grayish white powder by internet research chemical companies for under a dollar a dose. Recreational drug users seek the chemical for its hallucinogenic high. Many times it is mixed with water and placed in a small bottle with the doses administered with an eye dropper. The instructions on the internet even give young people directions about how many drops to take. While DMT (also called AMT) has many effects on the body, its hallmark symptoms include blurred vision and pupil dilation as well as slowed speech and mood alterations.

What are the street names/slang terms for it?

Foxy, Foxy Methoxy, 5-MeO-DIPT, AMT, alpha-methyltryptamine, fake Ecstasy

What type of drug is it?

Foxy and AMT are hallucinogens.

What does it look like?

Foxy and AMT come in tablets and capsule form, and often are passed off as Ecstasy. Foxy tablets are usually purple or red with an embossed spider or alien head (as pictured).

How is it used?

Swallowed.

What are its short-term effects?

• hallucinations, visual and auditory disturbances or distortions
• euphoria, "feelings of love"
• diliated pupils
• emotional distress
• nausea, vomiting
• diarrhea

Since it is not possible to anticipate all the possible scenarios regarding inappropriate drug use, basic guidelines (however trite) are worth following:

• Do not exceed recommended dosages written on labels for over-the-counter products..
• Do not exceed recommended dosages for prescription drugs.
• Do not take over-the-counter drugs while on prescription drugs before checking with a
Pharmacist or Doctor.
• Do not take illicit drugs, in any dose, in any combination with over-the-counter,
presecription or other illicit drugs.

Inasmuch as young students love to stray off the beaten path, they must be reminded that drug use is not a venue for creative experimentation. Experienced clinicians are left to speculate as to just what might happen next. . . . .

Out of respect for the privacy of our student and family, they have asked that you not call or come by the hospital. If you would like an update, there is a recorded message on their home phone daily. Cards may be sent to their home address.

Parents, please talk to your children about the danger of these drugs. Monitor their internet use. Watch their credit card statements. Know where they are and who they are with. Notice changes of behavior and take action immediately. These are not someone else's kids - they are OUR kids. Let's keep them safe. We will continue to keep you updated as we receive information.

Sincerely,
Tammy Quist
(Principal of Fairview High School)

Copyright 2004, The Daily Camera. All Rights Reserved.

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http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/32631...184/detail.html

Student In Coma After Allegedly Overdosing On Cough Syrup
Fairview High School Principal Sends E-Mail Warning Parents

POSTED: 10:50 am MDT May 3, 2004
UPDATED: 11:02 am MDT May 3, 2004

The principal of Fairview High School is warning students and parents about the dangers of overdosing on over-the-counter cough syrup. The warning comes more than a week after a sophomore at the school slipped into a coma.

Fairview's principal told the Boulder Daily Camera that students as young as those in middle school and in ninth and tenth grades like to consume large quantities of cough syrup because of the hallucinogenic qualities of some of the active ingredients.

In her e-mail, sent to parents on April 28, Fairview principal Tammy Quist said that the student who is currently in a coma ingested a mixture of Dextromethorphan, known as DXM, Dex or DM, and AMT, also known as DMT.

Dex is the active ingredient in Robitussin and other over-the-counter cough suppressants. AMT, or alpha-methyltryptamine, is a hallucinogen easily available over the Internet.

Quist said that over-the-counter drug abuse may be more common than parents know because the drugs are accessible and legal.

The second-year Fairview High student is breathing on his own but his exact condition has not been released.

Watch 7NEWS at 5 p.m. on more about the dangers of cough syrup overdoses and an update on the condition of the hospitalized student.

[thomasKMFDM]

Were the kids on AMT or DMT?

[PeoplesMind]

Anyone else make the connection that this use posting about a Coma caused by CCC+other drug in this post (posted a few days ago http://www.dextroverse.org/forums/index.ph...=ST&f=4&t=9291). Then this news story comes out.. Anyone make the connectoin it may be the same person--a forum member's "friend" and a news article.

Also they both happen to be in Colorado?

-Nitin

[Walkaway]

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From original story:
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> AMT, also known as DMT
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LOLOL.
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From ThomasKMFDM:
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> Were the kids on AMT or DMT?
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AMT is DMT. If you knew anything about drugs, you'd know that. :P
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Namaste,
Cliff

[thomasKMFDM]

After reading the other topic relating to this story, I found that the kid in question was on 5-meo-AMT.

[Walkaway]

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> After reading the other topic relating to this story, I found
> that the kid in question was on 5-meo-AMT.
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5-MeO-AMT, 5-MeO-DMT, 5-MeO-DiPT - these are all just fancy slang names for the same hallucination-generating devil tryptamine.
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Namaste,
Cliff

For your information each individual drug in the tryptamine family are very different in their effects and dosage requirements.
Try reading erowid before saying stuff like that.

And DMT is not a Tryptamine, it's a completely different type of drug. The similarity of abreviations and the fact that they are both psycadelics are their only resemblances.

[Walkaway]

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> Try reading erowid before saying stuff like that.
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LOLOL.
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> And DMT is not a Tryptamine
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Funny, I read on EROWID that DMT is a tryptamine...
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Namaste,
Cliff

[thomasKMFDM]

Cliff (Walkaway) was being sarcastic. He is well aware of the differences between various tryptamine drugs. Also, DMT is n,n-Dimethyltryptamine placing it firmly in the tryptamine family.

[libel]

5-MeO-AMT, 5-MeO-DMT, 5-MeO-DiPT - these are all just fancy slang names for the same hallucination-generating devil tryptamine.

LOL