drdĒv
05-12-2007, 12:30 PM
Saturday, May 12, 2007
The type of cough medicine nine Pine-Richland High School students used to get high is the most prevalent household substance local teens abuse.
"There are kids in every school district in Western Pennsylvania who are doing this, whether the districts admit it or not," said Dr. Neil Capretto, medical director of Gateway Rehabilitation Center.
Dr. Ken Katz, medical director of the Pittsburgh Poison Center and medical toxicologist at Children's Hospital and UPMC, considers it the top legal household substance abused by youth.
"My sense is this is becoming much more prevalent," he said.
While kids have been abusing cold medicines for years, Dr. Katz said, "This has become the new, sexy kind of thing. It's the hot thing now."
Dr. Capretto said one in 10 teens is believed to use cough medicine at some point to get high. He said the number has been growing significantly. He said one reason is some Internet sites glorify it and give instructions.
He said a lot of kids at Gateway have "dabbled" in it, but "it's pretty rare it's their main addiction."
The drug the teens are after is dextromethorphan found in some over-the-counter cough medicines.
Dr. Katz said it is cheap, easy to get and gives users a high. He believes it is more widespread in this area than huffing, which is inhaling substances to get high.
He said the drug causes disassociation from reality -- "which essentially gives you the effect your body is one place and spirit is in somewhere else."
He said, "It can be very dangerous."
It can quicken the heart rate; raise blood pressure and temperature; cause muscle breakdowns; and interact with some other medicines, Dr. Katz said.
He said some users act spaced out while others become highly agitated.
At Pine-Richland High School, nine students have been suspended for an undetermined period as a result of Thursday's incident involving the use of cough medicines with dextromethorphan, said Superintendent James Manley.
Five of the students were taken to a hospital; one was hospitalized overnight. All have been released, said Dr. Manley.
Dr. Manley received a call at 8:15 a.m. Thursday from an assistant principal saying that a student had been acting "very strange," was escorted to the office by a staff member and was being examined by a nurse. The student was taken by ambulance to a hospital.
Then two other students were sent down to the office by another teacher who was suspicious they were under the influence.
Through investigation, a total of nine freshmen and sophomores were identified as having used the cough medicine.
Dr. Manley said the students had taken forms of Robitussin and Coricidin HBP.
He said the students are believed to have taken the medicine on school property.
"There may be a couple of groups within that nine. Some were more under the influence than others," he said.
Robert Amann, chief of the Northern Regional Police, is investigating the case. He said one of the students admitted to shoplifting six to eight bottles of Robitussin and four to six of the 12-packs of Coricidin.
"That student is looking at retail theft," he said.
Dr. Capretto said abuse of cough medicine is often done in a group and sometimes involves shoplifting as part of the thrill.
Dr. Manley said the number of days of suspension will be determined later but will not run past the end of school on June 1.
"They have a serious consequence they have to face, but we also hope they would get some kind of help if they need it," Dr. Manley said.
He said, "Young people today are experimenting, and they're making poor decisions in that regard. That's why we, as adults, need to stay current."
Coincidentally, a search of the high school by drug dogs from four police departments already was scheduled for yesterday. Such unannounced searches take place about three times a year. Because of Thursday's incident, the middle school was searched for the first time. No drugs were found in either search.
"The students see we are very serious about this," said Dr. Manley. "This is not something we are going to take lightly. We want to make certain our environment is drug-free."
The district yesterday sent home a letter from high school principal Laura Davis saying, "We live in a culture of drugs and are surrounded by images of drug use in all media. We must never assume that our students do not use drugs."
The district has been active in the Alliance Against Drugs, originally called the Northern Alliance Against Highly Addictive Drugs.
In her letter, Ms. Davis referred parents who want more information on drug use to the alliance's Web site, www.drug-alliance.org.
Mike Manko, spokesman for the district attorney, said he has been giving school presentations on drugs for four years, including information on dextromethorphan. His audience about five weeks ago was fifth-graders and their parents in Pine-Richland.
Young people legally can purchase cough medicine containing dextromethorphan over the counter.
Kevin Nicholson, vice president of pharmacy regulatory affairs for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, said a few states have introduced legislation that would prohibit the sale of products containing dextromethorphan to minors.
He said some pharmacies voluntarily limit its sale or, in cases where shoplifting is a problem, sell it from behind the counter.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07132/785545-85.stm
The type of cough medicine nine Pine-Richland High School students used to get high is the most prevalent household substance local teens abuse.
"There are kids in every school district in Western Pennsylvania who are doing this, whether the districts admit it or not," said Dr. Neil Capretto, medical director of Gateway Rehabilitation Center.
Dr. Ken Katz, medical director of the Pittsburgh Poison Center and medical toxicologist at Children's Hospital and UPMC, considers it the top legal household substance abused by youth.
"My sense is this is becoming much more prevalent," he said.
While kids have been abusing cold medicines for years, Dr. Katz said, "This has become the new, sexy kind of thing. It's the hot thing now."
Dr. Capretto said one in 10 teens is believed to use cough medicine at some point to get high. He said the number has been growing significantly. He said one reason is some Internet sites glorify it and give instructions.
He said a lot of kids at Gateway have "dabbled" in it, but "it's pretty rare it's their main addiction."
The drug the teens are after is dextromethorphan found in some over-the-counter cough medicines.
Dr. Katz said it is cheap, easy to get and gives users a high. He believes it is more widespread in this area than huffing, which is inhaling substances to get high.
He said the drug causes disassociation from reality -- "which essentially gives you the effect your body is one place and spirit is in somewhere else."
He said, "It can be very dangerous."
It can quicken the heart rate; raise blood pressure and temperature; cause muscle breakdowns; and interact with some other medicines, Dr. Katz said.
He said some users act spaced out while others become highly agitated.
At Pine-Richland High School, nine students have been suspended for an undetermined period as a result of Thursday's incident involving the use of cough medicines with dextromethorphan, said Superintendent James Manley.
Five of the students were taken to a hospital; one was hospitalized overnight. All have been released, said Dr. Manley.
Dr. Manley received a call at 8:15 a.m. Thursday from an assistant principal saying that a student had been acting "very strange," was escorted to the office by a staff member and was being examined by a nurse. The student was taken by ambulance to a hospital.
Then two other students were sent down to the office by another teacher who was suspicious they were under the influence.
Through investigation, a total of nine freshmen and sophomores were identified as having used the cough medicine.
Dr. Manley said the students had taken forms of Robitussin and Coricidin HBP.
He said the students are believed to have taken the medicine on school property.
"There may be a couple of groups within that nine. Some were more under the influence than others," he said.
Robert Amann, chief of the Northern Regional Police, is investigating the case. He said one of the students admitted to shoplifting six to eight bottles of Robitussin and four to six of the 12-packs of Coricidin.
"That student is looking at retail theft," he said.
Dr. Capretto said abuse of cough medicine is often done in a group and sometimes involves shoplifting as part of the thrill.
Dr. Manley said the number of days of suspension will be determined later but will not run past the end of school on June 1.
"They have a serious consequence they have to face, but we also hope they would get some kind of help if they need it," Dr. Manley said.
He said, "Young people today are experimenting, and they're making poor decisions in that regard. That's why we, as adults, need to stay current."
Coincidentally, a search of the high school by drug dogs from four police departments already was scheduled for yesterday. Such unannounced searches take place about three times a year. Because of Thursday's incident, the middle school was searched for the first time. No drugs were found in either search.
"The students see we are very serious about this," said Dr. Manley. "This is not something we are going to take lightly. We want to make certain our environment is drug-free."
The district yesterday sent home a letter from high school principal Laura Davis saying, "We live in a culture of drugs and are surrounded by images of drug use in all media. We must never assume that our students do not use drugs."
The district has been active in the Alliance Against Drugs, originally called the Northern Alliance Against Highly Addictive Drugs.
In her letter, Ms. Davis referred parents who want more information on drug use to the alliance's Web site, www.drug-alliance.org.
Mike Manko, spokesman for the district attorney, said he has been giving school presentations on drugs for four years, including information on dextromethorphan. His audience about five weeks ago was fifth-graders and their parents in Pine-Richland.
Young people legally can purchase cough medicine containing dextromethorphan over the counter.
Kevin Nicholson, vice president of pharmacy regulatory affairs for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, said a few states have introduced legislation that would prohibit the sale of products containing dextromethorphan to minors.
He said some pharmacies voluntarily limit its sale or, in cases where shoplifting is a problem, sell it from behind the counter.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07132/785545-85.stm