drdĒv
05-08-2007, 08:59 PM
May 8, 2007 7:22 PM
9 On Your Side Special Investigation: Robotripping
Attention parents: There's growing abuse among our teenagers from products you have in your house.
A simple trip to the store can turn into a trip to the hospital.
Parents try to think of everything when it comes to protecting our kids from the dangers of drugs.
But for one drug in particular, teens don't have to look very hard to find it, or try very hard to get it.
"Common experiences include separation of mind and body, feelings of supreme balance and strength?"
That's a description of the effects of a favorite drug among teenagers. . . one that has sent at least eleven area children to the hospital in the past eight months...and, as you'll see from our hidden camera investigation, can be easily bought.
Videos are being posted online by teenagers on cough medicine, and the street term for this is "robotripping" or "triple c," named after the two most popular brands, Robitussin and Coricidin.
But the name doesn't matter, as long as the medicine contains the active ingredient dextrmethorphan which can produce harmful, and sometimes fatal results.
"To get the kind of effect that kids are looking for when they abuse it, you have to take massive, massive doses of this stuff," said Jerry Wiesenhahn, with Childrens Hospital's Drug and Poison Control.
While it is not illegal to sell, 9News wanted to see if area stores would question a 13-year-old girl, who we sent undercover, when she attempted to purchase large quantities of cough medicine.
((cashier)) "You're not 18 are you?? No, I can't sell it to you."
Most of the stores refused to sell to our teenager, citing her age.
But many others rang up the sale without any hesitation.
In one of the stores, the cashier even questions the sale to our undercover camera, only after our teenager left.
((cashier)) "It seems strange . . .her buying all that cough medicine."
In total, our 13-year-old was able to purchase eight bottles of cough medicine in a little less than two hours.
Wiesenhahn said, "Retail establishments are gonna have to keep their antenna up about what are new trends in the substance abuse world and how do we respond to that."
Wiesenhahn said the misuse of prescription and over-the-counter medicine is one of the fastest growing areas of substance abuse among teens.
A national study by the partnership for a drug free america found that one in ten teenagers abuse cough medicine.
But even that number could be low.
Montgomery Police Officer Paul Payne works with high school students and represents school resource officers in southwest Ohio.
"If someone takes prescribed medication, 9 times out of 10, they'll end up in the ER, or a parent will know the medicine's missing. But anybody can go to the store and buy any of the cough medicine and take it to a party, you'll never know. So as far as law enforcement, it's hard to track...and actually even enforce."
While Officer Payne would like to see age restrictions placed on the sale of over-the-counter medications, he said policing for abuse should start in the family medicine cabinet.
"What are we doing as parents to make sure we're keeping count of our prescribed medication, keeping tabs on our medication, is it under lock and key? And when was the last time you checked it."
The issue of availability and abuse of such drugs presents another opportunity for parents to have a conversation with their kids.
Officer Payne suggests sooner rather than later, since most teens are first exposed to illegal and dangerous substances while in junior high.
To help, the Talbert House has provided 9News with a fact sheet (linked above) that gives parents good information and tips on communicating with your teenager about drugs.
http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?...6a-de604a6213be (http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=2c839ad0-4b3d-41f6-8d6a-de604a6213be)
9 On Your Side Special Investigation: Robotripping
Attention parents: There's growing abuse among our teenagers from products you have in your house.
A simple trip to the store can turn into a trip to the hospital.
Parents try to think of everything when it comes to protecting our kids from the dangers of drugs.
But for one drug in particular, teens don't have to look very hard to find it, or try very hard to get it.
"Common experiences include separation of mind and body, feelings of supreme balance and strength?"
That's a description of the effects of a favorite drug among teenagers. . . one that has sent at least eleven area children to the hospital in the past eight months...and, as you'll see from our hidden camera investigation, can be easily bought.
Videos are being posted online by teenagers on cough medicine, and the street term for this is "robotripping" or "triple c," named after the two most popular brands, Robitussin and Coricidin.
But the name doesn't matter, as long as the medicine contains the active ingredient dextrmethorphan which can produce harmful, and sometimes fatal results.
"To get the kind of effect that kids are looking for when they abuse it, you have to take massive, massive doses of this stuff," said Jerry Wiesenhahn, with Childrens Hospital's Drug and Poison Control.
While it is not illegal to sell, 9News wanted to see if area stores would question a 13-year-old girl, who we sent undercover, when she attempted to purchase large quantities of cough medicine.
((cashier)) "You're not 18 are you?? No, I can't sell it to you."
Most of the stores refused to sell to our teenager, citing her age.
But many others rang up the sale without any hesitation.
In one of the stores, the cashier even questions the sale to our undercover camera, only after our teenager left.
((cashier)) "It seems strange . . .her buying all that cough medicine."
In total, our 13-year-old was able to purchase eight bottles of cough medicine in a little less than two hours.
Wiesenhahn said, "Retail establishments are gonna have to keep their antenna up about what are new trends in the substance abuse world and how do we respond to that."
Wiesenhahn said the misuse of prescription and over-the-counter medicine is one of the fastest growing areas of substance abuse among teens.
A national study by the partnership for a drug free america found that one in ten teenagers abuse cough medicine.
But even that number could be low.
Montgomery Police Officer Paul Payne works with high school students and represents school resource officers in southwest Ohio.
"If someone takes prescribed medication, 9 times out of 10, they'll end up in the ER, or a parent will know the medicine's missing. But anybody can go to the store and buy any of the cough medicine and take it to a party, you'll never know. So as far as law enforcement, it's hard to track...and actually even enforce."
While Officer Payne would like to see age restrictions placed on the sale of over-the-counter medications, he said policing for abuse should start in the family medicine cabinet.
"What are we doing as parents to make sure we're keeping count of our prescribed medication, keeping tabs on our medication, is it under lock and key? And when was the last time you checked it."
The issue of availability and abuse of such drugs presents another opportunity for parents to have a conversation with their kids.
Officer Payne suggests sooner rather than later, since most teens are first exposed to illegal and dangerous substances while in junior high.
To help, the Talbert House has provided 9News with a fact sheet (linked above) that gives parents good information and tips on communicating with your teenager about drugs.
http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?...6a-de604a6213be (http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=2c839ad0-4b3d-41f6-8d6a-de604a6213be)