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02-22-2007, 12:42 AM
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WHBQ FOX13 MyFoxMemphis.com) --
Thomas Morgan used to use drugs, “it's real addicting. I did it once and I couldn't wait to do it again.
It's not Ecstasy or cocaine the 16-year-old is talking about but, over-the-counter medicine.
“It makes you feel like there's nothing wrong, makes you happy”
Morgan says he was getting high on Coricidin H-B-P.
He says he was taking large doses of the cough and cold medicine a couple times a day, everyday...for weeks.
“It's like your vision is all blurry...um...and when you standup and everything it just hits you hard.
The ingredient that gives kids a high is dextromethorpham or DXM.
It can be found in more than 125 cold medicines, but a recent California study, found Coricidin is the most abused.
At around 8-bucks a box, it's a cheap and easy way to get high and it's not illegal to have.
It's candy-red tablets are nicknamed Triple C and Skittles.
Robotripping, on the other hand takes its name from Robitussin, the second most abused cold medicine.
Therapist Dr. Bobby Scott says; “They are safe if used as directed but used in large quantities they become problematic”
Doctor Scott is Morgan's therapist.He started Turning Point Counseling in Olive Branch, Mississippi a few years ago.
He specializes in intense out-patient adolescent drug treatment.
Morgan's mother, took him to Scott 8 months ago, after they caught him drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana.
Karen Morgan says, “When he relapsed this last time we literally tore his room apart and found a lot of empty packages of cold medicines that he was taking, when we confronted him he was willing to admit it that yeah, he had been taking it to get high.
Thomas Morgan says. “I wanted to try it because I figured I couldn't get in trouble for it and it wouldn't show up on my drug screening or anything”
A study by the Partnership for a Drug Free America shows one in ten teens abuse cough medicine to get high.
According to Dr. Scott; “it's cheap, easy to get a hold of and it's easy to conceal and hide and parents don't suspect there's a problem” 4:58:18
Karen Morgan thought she was alert; “I 'm somebody that thinks I'm pretty up on everything that's going on and I try to stay that way, it just didn't click with me”.
She's not alone.
Germantown Detective, Angie Lewis, says the abuse of prescription and non-prescription drugs effect the child's brain more than anything else.
So she uses these fake jelly brains to get her point across while making presentations to parents, students and teachers at area high schools.
She says many parents are shocked to hear what teens are getting into.
"We have these brains we use because what we really want to hone in on with these kids is with prescription and non prescription abuse, this is the part of the body it effects the worst, is the brain.
Jill Monier; “"Germantown Police have had one confirmed overdose in about a year. They were called when the teen took large doses of robitussin and coricidin and started to hallucinate.
Detective Lewis offered this example; “ this particular child had tried to stab themselves several times and cut their wrists, they were very delusional, suicidal and incoherent. She was writing on the walls with her blood 20:08
For some DXM causes hallucinations, for others they become agitated, confused or act like they are drunk.
Studies show, most DXM-related deaths, however, are caused by ingesting the drug in combination with other drugs.
That's what happened to Carl Hennon in 2003.
The 18-year old from Central Ohio had just been accepted to Memphis College of Art.
But just days before he was set to start school, his mother found him dead in his bedroom
She says his death was caused by a mixture of Robitussin and a prescription drug.
Morgan says he stopped abusing over-the-counter medicine after he started feeling its' negative effects and got scared.
“It just does things in your body that's not normal “
Some stores are starting to regulate the sale of products containing DXM.
Walgreens requires ID and will only sell DXM products to those 18 and older.
http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/myfox/pages/Ne...TY&pageId=3.2.1 (http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=2456324&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1)
Thomas Morgan used to use drugs, “it's real addicting. I did it once and I couldn't wait to do it again.
It's not Ecstasy or cocaine the 16-year-old is talking about but, over-the-counter medicine.
“It makes you feel like there's nothing wrong, makes you happy”
Morgan says he was getting high on Coricidin H-B-P.
He says he was taking large doses of the cough and cold medicine a couple times a day, everyday...for weeks.
“It's like your vision is all blurry...um...and when you standup and everything it just hits you hard.
The ingredient that gives kids a high is dextromethorpham or DXM.
It can be found in more than 125 cold medicines, but a recent California study, found Coricidin is the most abused.
At around 8-bucks a box, it's a cheap and easy way to get high and it's not illegal to have.
It's candy-red tablets are nicknamed Triple C and Skittles.
Robotripping, on the other hand takes its name from Robitussin, the second most abused cold medicine.
Therapist Dr. Bobby Scott says; “They are safe if used as directed but used in large quantities they become problematic”
Doctor Scott is Morgan's therapist.He started Turning Point Counseling in Olive Branch, Mississippi a few years ago.
He specializes in intense out-patient adolescent drug treatment.
Morgan's mother, took him to Scott 8 months ago, after they caught him drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana.
Karen Morgan says, “When he relapsed this last time we literally tore his room apart and found a lot of empty packages of cold medicines that he was taking, when we confronted him he was willing to admit it that yeah, he had been taking it to get high.
Thomas Morgan says. “I wanted to try it because I figured I couldn't get in trouble for it and it wouldn't show up on my drug screening or anything”
A study by the Partnership for a Drug Free America shows one in ten teens abuse cough medicine to get high.
According to Dr. Scott; “it's cheap, easy to get a hold of and it's easy to conceal and hide and parents don't suspect there's a problem” 4:58:18
Karen Morgan thought she was alert; “I 'm somebody that thinks I'm pretty up on everything that's going on and I try to stay that way, it just didn't click with me”.
She's not alone.
Germantown Detective, Angie Lewis, says the abuse of prescription and non-prescription drugs effect the child's brain more than anything else.
So she uses these fake jelly brains to get her point across while making presentations to parents, students and teachers at area high schools.
She says many parents are shocked to hear what teens are getting into.
"We have these brains we use because what we really want to hone in on with these kids is with prescription and non prescription abuse, this is the part of the body it effects the worst, is the brain.
Jill Monier; “"Germantown Police have had one confirmed overdose in about a year. They were called when the teen took large doses of robitussin and coricidin and started to hallucinate.
Detective Lewis offered this example; “ this particular child had tried to stab themselves several times and cut their wrists, they were very delusional, suicidal and incoherent. She was writing on the walls with her blood 20:08
For some DXM causes hallucinations, for others they become agitated, confused or act like they are drunk.
Studies show, most DXM-related deaths, however, are caused by ingesting the drug in combination with other drugs.
That's what happened to Carl Hennon in 2003.
The 18-year old from Central Ohio had just been accepted to Memphis College of Art.
But just days before he was set to start school, his mother found him dead in his bedroom
She says his death was caused by a mixture of Robitussin and a prescription drug.
Morgan says he stopped abusing over-the-counter medicine after he started feeling its' negative effects and got scared.
“It just does things in your body that's not normal “
Some stores are starting to regulate the sale of products containing DXM.
Walgreens requires ID and will only sell DXM products to those 18 and older.
http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/myfox/pages/Ne...TY&pageId=3.2.1 (http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=2456324&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1)