drdĒv
10-08-2006, 02:11 PM
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Four teenagers were rushed to the hospital in Orlando on Monday, after overdosing on cough medicine. Local schools said it's becoming more prevalent and some teens are doing it to relieve stress.
It seems harmless enough, but in large doses what's in cough medicine can kill you. The active ingredient is dextromethorphan, or DXM.
Since, police said, most teens get their high from taking Coricidin Cold and Cough or Chest Congestion and Cough, it's often referred to as "triple C'ing." An undercover detective told Eyewitness News the high can be equal to that from LSD or PCP.
"It gives them a carefree feeling, where they don't worry about anything anymore," the detective said.
Monday morning, four teens, between 14 and 16 years old, were taken from a youth shelter to Orlando Regional Medical Center by ambulance after overdosing on Coricidin. One teen took 32 pills, the others 16 each.
The girl who took the most was hallucinating, vomiting and very tired. All were luckily going to be okay, but police said it's indicative of a much larger problem in local high schools, even middle schools and it's affecting teens from all walks of life.
"Straight A students, sometimes they get so stressed out, they'll do it to relieve stress," the undercover detective said.
It's such a concern, Orlando police are trying to set up a program to alert teachers in schools.
Dextromethorphan is in any cough suppressant sold over the counter at the local grocery store or pharmacy, from the well-known brands like Robitussin to Coricidin HBP and even the generic variety.
Ultimately, abusers can suffer a heart attack. Since teens often take the red tablet form of Coricidin HBP to get high, the drug is also called candy, skittles and red devils.
http://www.wftv.com/news/9984318/detail.html
It seems harmless enough, but in large doses what's in cough medicine can kill you. The active ingredient is dextromethorphan, or DXM.
Since, police said, most teens get their high from taking Coricidin Cold and Cough or Chest Congestion and Cough, it's often referred to as "triple C'ing." An undercover detective told Eyewitness News the high can be equal to that from LSD or PCP.
"It gives them a carefree feeling, where they don't worry about anything anymore," the detective said.
Monday morning, four teens, between 14 and 16 years old, were taken from a youth shelter to Orlando Regional Medical Center by ambulance after overdosing on Coricidin. One teen took 32 pills, the others 16 each.
The girl who took the most was hallucinating, vomiting and very tired. All were luckily going to be okay, but police said it's indicative of a much larger problem in local high schools, even middle schools and it's affecting teens from all walks of life.
"Straight A students, sometimes they get so stressed out, they'll do it to relieve stress," the undercover detective said.
It's such a concern, Orlando police are trying to set up a program to alert teachers in schools.
Dextromethorphan is in any cough suppressant sold over the counter at the local grocery store or pharmacy, from the well-known brands like Robitussin to Coricidin HBP and even the generic variety.
Ultimately, abusers can suffer a heart attack. Since teens often take the red tablet form of Coricidin HBP to get high, the drug is also called candy, skittles and red devils.
http://www.wftv.com/news/9984318/detail.html