Log in

View Full Version : DXM News: "Cold medicine can be an easy, but..."


rfgdxm
03-22-2005, 10:46 PM
http://www.king5.com/cgi-bin/bi/gold_print.cgi

Cold medicine can be an easy, but lethal, high
01:37 PM PST on Tuesday, March 22, 2005

From KING 5 Staff Reports

It’s known that cold medications are used to make meth. Now, some over-the-counter cold medications have become one the newest drugs of choice among kids.

When taken in massive doses, the active ingredient, dextramethorphan, can prove deadly.

“I was doing them before school, I popped eight, they'd wear off by like 5th hour, then I'd pop another eight in school,” said Jessica Fedro, referring to over-the-counter Coricidin cold tablets.

“I couldn't live without them, that's how addicted I was,” she said.

Teens call it "skittling" because the pills resemble the popular candy, Skittles. But when taken in massive doses, the active ingredient, dextramethorphan, can prove deadly.

“They can have a seizure, they can become comatose and they can overdose within a matter of minutes,” said pediatric emergency doctor Dr. Charles Nozicka of St. Alexius Medical Center.

That’s what happened to Jessica in February of 2002 after taking 96 pills.

“I dove into the kitchen floor ‘cause I thought it was water, and I don't remember anything after that except waking up in the hospital,” she said.

Nozicka says the number of reported cases are just the tip of the iceberg and there's probably a lot more of it out there then is known.

“Since 2001, the number of calls involving suspected abuse of Coricidin has increased by about 55 percent,” said Dr. Christina Hantsch, medical director of Illinois Poison Center.

A year ago, 18-year-old Joel Cahoon of Columbus, Ohio, was battling his own Coricidin habit.

“I was killing myself, you know, I didn't even think I was trying to commit suicide but I was,” he said.

“Basically he got out of rehab, completed the program successfully, was home a few months and got in trouble again shoplifting Coricidin,” said Joel’s mother, Linda Cahoon.

Joel is now serving a 45-day sentence for that theft.

Fortunately, Jessica Fedro has beaten her addiction and has this advice for teens who want to experiment with skittling.

“Just don't even touch it, seriously, don't -- just the one time will ruin your life,” she said.

rfgdxm
03-22-2005, 10:59 PM
Originally posted by rfgdxm@Mar 22 2005, 10:46 PM
That’s what happened to Jessica in February of 2002 after taking 96 pills.
Holy mother of God. Because of course taking 96 pills of any OTC medicine is safe? It's times like this I think of just taking my websites offline. For times like this, I have an e-mail tacked to the wall. It was from a mother whose daughter died of Coricidin abuse. She thanked me for my website, and commented if she only knew earlier. Reminds me of an old philosophy professor's comments about moral virtue and the long run. The basic gist being in the long run, truth wins. Then again, she taught me ancient Greek philosophy. Remember what happened to Socrates?

Starchman22
03-22-2005, 11:16 PM
I saw this garbage on the news this morning. It opened my eyes and I've decided to stop using drugs alltogether.



Actually, I thought to myself... "continuous scare tactics instead of facts and harm reduction, what's new?" and I changed it back to SportsCenter, smoked a joint, and then fell back to sleep. :-\

rfgdxm
03-22-2005, 11:26 PM
Originally posted by Starchman22@Mar 22 2005, 11:16 PM
Actually, I thought to myself... "continuous scare tactics instead of facts and harm reduction, what's new?" and I changed it back to SportsCenter, smoked a joint, and then fell back to sleep. :-\
96 pills does seem unwise...

BONERSTORM
03-22-2005, 11:52 PM
Originally posted by rfgdxm@Mar 22 2005, 10:59 PM
Remember what happened to Socrates?
NO, WE FUCKING DON'T

ASK US AGAIN

rfgdxm
03-22-2005, 11:58 PM
Originally posted by rudine+Mar 22 2005, 11:52 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (rudine @ Mar 22 2005, 11:52 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteBegin--rfgdxm@Mar 22 2005, 10:59 PM
Remember what happened to Socrates?
NO, WE FUCKING DON'T

ASK US AGAIN[/b][/quote]
Please prove your lack of interest in philosophy is universal here? Is this forum that lame?

BONERSTORM
03-23-2005, 12:02 AM
allow me to re-phrase

Remember what happened to Socrates?

NO, WE FUCKING DO NOT. ASK US AGAIN!

rfgdxm
03-23-2005, 12:15 AM
Originally posted by rudine@Mar 23 2005, 12:02 AM
NO, WE FUCKING DO NOT. ASK US AGAIN!
Please submit this objection to the owner of this site then. He knows my e-mail, and will await his reply, should he bother.

Brothabill
03-23-2005, 12:21 AM
LOL, what happened to Socrates?

rfgdxm
03-23-2005, 12:23 AM
Originally posted by Brothabill@Mar 23 2005, 12:21 AM
LOL, what happened to Socrates?
History records he ended up dead.

BONERSTORM
03-23-2005, 12:49 AM
Originally posted by rfgdxm+Mar 23 2005, 12:15 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (rfgdxm @ Mar 23 2005, 12:15 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--rudine@Mar 23 2005, 12:02 AM
NO, WE FUCKING DO NOT. ASK US AGAIN!
Please submit this objection to the owner of this site then. He knows my e-mail, and will await his reply, should he bother. [/b][/quote]
oh, i see.. you made the mistake of taking me seriously :(

please do not get your nuts in a twist.

what i was trying to nettle was the fact that you have used this same analogy practically verbatim over and over again. we know already, you identify with socrates.

EDIT: i'm an admin of this site on the same level as void, vae, and nitin, so if you have problems with my opinions, please take it up with me.

Brothabill
03-23-2005, 01:17 AM
Originally posted by rfgdxm+Mar 23 2005, 12:23 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (rfgdxm @ Mar 23 2005, 12:23 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--Brothabill@Mar 23 2005, 12:21 AM
LOL, what happened to Socrates?
History records he ended up dead. [/b][/quote]
No such thing as death

btw, good site of yours, hilarious, Ive been there before last year I think

locomotiv
03-24-2005, 04:37 PM
It isn't drug use that kills people, it's lack of knowledge. People are entitled to their own moral stance on drug use, but doing shotty research to support one's anti-drug use views are how ignorant kids wind up taking 96 coricidins.