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01-31-2007, 06:32 AM
The danger of over-the-counter medications
In this space, I have frequently talked about the dangers of alcohol, its accessibility and unfortunate socially acceptable status of its use as a drug. I’ve also talked about the easily accessed “inhalant” drugs – which many pre-teens and teens can access in their own homes.
This month I’d like to focus on another set of drugs, whose use is increasing, and to which our youth also have easy access.
These drugs are over-the-counter medications, or OTCs as we often refer to them. These medications are things like certain cough and cold medicines, which when used incorrectly, can easily be abused.
The abuse of these OTCs is nothing new, but a recent increase in media coverage, and the following reports that the actual abuse is increasing as well are enough cause for alarm. The fact that the drugs are so readily accessible, not only in pharmacies, but also in our own medicine cabinets, is certainly one of the reasons that those seeking an easy high use them.
Take a look in your own medicine cabinet, do you have any Robitussin? Or how about Vicks 44? Or even Tylenol Cold products? These are some of the OTCs that I am referring to.
The actual drug that is in some cough and cold medicines that makes them so can give one a high, if used incorrectly, is dextromethorphan, or DM or DXM for short. DM appears in cough syrups, gel caps, tablets and lozenges — generally labeled with DM in the name (making it oh-so-easy to identify).
But if this is an over-the-counter medication, why should we, as members of the community, be worried about its use and abuse? In low doses, DXM can be taken safely and works effectively as a cough suppressant, which is why it is available without a prescription. But taken in larger than the recommended dosage, it can act as a hallucinogen, with symptoms such as losing control of one’s motor skills.
There are also many side effects of DM abuse, such as confusion, dizziness, nausea, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, etc — not so different from the usual list of side effects from using illicit drugs. And yes, it can lead to death.
So how do many teens learn about the use of DM, and for that matter many other easily accessible drugs? Through the Internet — there is a lot of information readily available to anyone looking to find it.
So remember, though the Internet can be an important and helpful tool, it also carries dangerous information. Of course, our teens also talk to one another, so they may hear it through either their friends, or other peers.
Unfortunately, the survey that MHM and the Medford Public Schools conduct doesn’t ask questions about OTC use. However, since on other questions, Medford students reported similar numbers to those nationally, we can expect that at least some young people in Medford are using OTCs to get high.
In a recent parent survey, however, MHM did question parents as to whether they talked to their teens about using OTCs. Of the 54 parent respondents, only 61 percent said they had talked to their children about OTCs, compared with 90 percent who said they talked to their children about alcohol, and 100 percent who responded that they talked to their children about tobacco. In fact, parents seemed less aware of the need to talk to their teens about OTCs than another other drug.
A national study, the Monitoring the Future Survey, recently reported that about one in every 14 seniors has used OTCs to get high in the past year, whereas for eighth graders, the number is about one in every 25.
In our parent survey in Medford, parents reported believing more high school-aged teens used OTCs than those in middle school. The majority of parents did report that they believe high school-aged teens use OTCs.
Unfortunately, access to OTCs remains easy. That, however, doesn’t mean that parents can’t do anything about them. First of all, as with any other drug, it is vital that parents make their belief that using any drug, including OTCs, is unacceptable, and that using them will result in consequences. There is no substitute for clear standards that the use of drugs of any sort, including OTCs, is not acceptable.
And, because cough suppressants and cold medications are considered to be medically safe in smaller doses, and are available over the counter, many young people may not realize the true danger of abusing them. Parents should remind their children that medications are to be used only as they are intended and that using them in any other way, can be deadly. It may be beneficial to go over the dosages and directions for use with your teens when you buy a new medication, or to just remind them periodically.
Also remember that children and teens watch what we, as adults, do. They’ll copy our behavior, so if they see us using more than the recommended dosage, they may mirror that behavior, no matter what we say. Be aware of how much of a medication you use, especially in front of your children.
Here are a few pointers from both the Consumer Healthcare Products Association and the Partnership for a Drug Free America to help parents stop teen drug abuse:
· Being knowledgeable about the signs and symptoms, as well as dangers of teens using OTCs and prescription drugs to get high.
· Talk to your children about drug abuse, including OTC abuse.
· Teach your teens to respect medicines, and that they need to be used according to the directions on the label.
· Beware of your medicine cabinet — know what is in it, how much you have in them.
· Guard your medicine cabinets, don’t make them easily accessible, especially when you are not in the house.
· Know what your teens are using the internet for, monitor their use and have guidelines for their internet time.
· And as always, if you think your child has a problem, call your doctor immediately. Or, call 1-800-327-5050, which is the Massachusetts Substance Abuse Information and Education Helpline.
http://www.townonline.com/medford/opinion/...968395789500415 (http://www.townonline.com/medford/opinion/8998968395789500415)
In this space, I have frequently talked about the dangers of alcohol, its accessibility and unfortunate socially acceptable status of its use as a drug. I’ve also talked about the easily accessed “inhalant” drugs – which many pre-teens and teens can access in their own homes.
This month I’d like to focus on another set of drugs, whose use is increasing, and to which our youth also have easy access.
These drugs are over-the-counter medications, or OTCs as we often refer to them. These medications are things like certain cough and cold medicines, which when used incorrectly, can easily be abused.
The abuse of these OTCs is nothing new, but a recent increase in media coverage, and the following reports that the actual abuse is increasing as well are enough cause for alarm. The fact that the drugs are so readily accessible, not only in pharmacies, but also in our own medicine cabinets, is certainly one of the reasons that those seeking an easy high use them.
Take a look in your own medicine cabinet, do you have any Robitussin? Or how about Vicks 44? Or even Tylenol Cold products? These are some of the OTCs that I am referring to.
The actual drug that is in some cough and cold medicines that makes them so can give one a high, if used incorrectly, is dextromethorphan, or DM or DXM for short. DM appears in cough syrups, gel caps, tablets and lozenges — generally labeled with DM in the name (making it oh-so-easy to identify).
But if this is an over-the-counter medication, why should we, as members of the community, be worried about its use and abuse? In low doses, DXM can be taken safely and works effectively as a cough suppressant, which is why it is available without a prescription. But taken in larger than the recommended dosage, it can act as a hallucinogen, with symptoms such as losing control of one’s motor skills.
There are also many side effects of DM abuse, such as confusion, dizziness, nausea, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, etc — not so different from the usual list of side effects from using illicit drugs. And yes, it can lead to death.
So how do many teens learn about the use of DM, and for that matter many other easily accessible drugs? Through the Internet — there is a lot of information readily available to anyone looking to find it.
So remember, though the Internet can be an important and helpful tool, it also carries dangerous information. Of course, our teens also talk to one another, so they may hear it through either their friends, or other peers.
Unfortunately, the survey that MHM and the Medford Public Schools conduct doesn’t ask questions about OTC use. However, since on other questions, Medford students reported similar numbers to those nationally, we can expect that at least some young people in Medford are using OTCs to get high.
In a recent parent survey, however, MHM did question parents as to whether they talked to their teens about using OTCs. Of the 54 parent respondents, only 61 percent said they had talked to their children about OTCs, compared with 90 percent who said they talked to their children about alcohol, and 100 percent who responded that they talked to their children about tobacco. In fact, parents seemed less aware of the need to talk to their teens about OTCs than another other drug.
A national study, the Monitoring the Future Survey, recently reported that about one in every 14 seniors has used OTCs to get high in the past year, whereas for eighth graders, the number is about one in every 25.
In our parent survey in Medford, parents reported believing more high school-aged teens used OTCs than those in middle school. The majority of parents did report that they believe high school-aged teens use OTCs.
Unfortunately, access to OTCs remains easy. That, however, doesn’t mean that parents can’t do anything about them. First of all, as with any other drug, it is vital that parents make their belief that using any drug, including OTCs, is unacceptable, and that using them will result in consequences. There is no substitute for clear standards that the use of drugs of any sort, including OTCs, is not acceptable.
And, because cough suppressants and cold medications are considered to be medically safe in smaller doses, and are available over the counter, many young people may not realize the true danger of abusing them. Parents should remind their children that medications are to be used only as they are intended and that using them in any other way, can be deadly. It may be beneficial to go over the dosages and directions for use with your teens when you buy a new medication, or to just remind them periodically.
Also remember that children and teens watch what we, as adults, do. They’ll copy our behavior, so if they see us using more than the recommended dosage, they may mirror that behavior, no matter what we say. Be aware of how much of a medication you use, especially in front of your children.
Here are a few pointers from both the Consumer Healthcare Products Association and the Partnership for a Drug Free America to help parents stop teen drug abuse:
· Being knowledgeable about the signs and symptoms, as well as dangers of teens using OTCs and prescription drugs to get high.
· Talk to your children about drug abuse, including OTC abuse.
· Teach your teens to respect medicines, and that they need to be used according to the directions on the label.
· Beware of your medicine cabinet — know what is in it, how much you have in them.
· Guard your medicine cabinets, don’t make them easily accessible, especially when you are not in the house.
· Know what your teens are using the internet for, monitor their use and have guidelines for their internet time.
· And as always, if you think your child has a problem, call your doctor immediately. Or, call 1-800-327-5050, which is the Massachusetts Substance Abuse Information and Education Helpline.
http://www.townonline.com/medford/opinion/...968395789500415 (http://www.townonline.com/medford/opinion/8998968395789500415)