drdĒv
01-28-2004, 10:24 AM
Taking cold medicine to get high, a popular fad in the 70's, has reemerged.
The ingredient, dextromethorphan (DXM), found in Robitussin, Nyquil, Benadryl, Coricidin, and other cold medications can cause hallucinations. "It's an ingredient related to morphine," said Dr. Tom Atkinson.
Doctors say, taken in excess, DXM can cause psychosis, brain damage, seizures, and even death.
Kids refer to the medication as "triple c's", "syrup", and "tussin".
"When you take it you feel warm, like a wave is going over your body. It plays with your mind and makes you kind of numb," said 17-year-old Christopher Jackson. "I had a girlfriend who did it, and she had to go to rehab for it. It was messing her up pretty bad, so I was like, I'm not going to do it anymore."
Jackson says he would "down bottles of tussin" or take eight to ten cold pills to "get a good trip going."
After the problems with his ex-girlfriend, Jackson stopped taking the medication.
Some pharmacies keep Coricidin behind the counter to prevent it from getting stolen, but kids of any age can purchase it.
Dr. Atkinson estimates between 10% and 20% of local high school students get high off cold medicine.
If a child has a mild high, doctors say it will be difficult to detect. Some things parents should watch out for are loss of coordination, slurred speech, and dizziness.
READ ARTICLE : http://www.arkansasnbc.com/Global/story.as...35&nav=F8n2KSHv (http://www.arkansasnbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=1612935&nav=F8n2KSHv)
The ingredient, dextromethorphan (DXM), found in Robitussin, Nyquil, Benadryl, Coricidin, and other cold medications can cause hallucinations. "It's an ingredient related to morphine," said Dr. Tom Atkinson.
Doctors say, taken in excess, DXM can cause psychosis, brain damage, seizures, and even death.
Kids refer to the medication as "triple c's", "syrup", and "tussin".
"When you take it you feel warm, like a wave is going over your body. It plays with your mind and makes you kind of numb," said 17-year-old Christopher Jackson. "I had a girlfriend who did it, and she had to go to rehab for it. It was messing her up pretty bad, so I was like, I'm not going to do it anymore."
Jackson says he would "down bottles of tussin" or take eight to ten cold pills to "get a good trip going."
After the problems with his ex-girlfriend, Jackson stopped taking the medication.
Some pharmacies keep Coricidin behind the counter to prevent it from getting stolen, but kids of any age can purchase it.
Dr. Atkinson estimates between 10% and 20% of local high school students get high off cold medicine.
If a child has a mild high, doctors say it will be difficult to detect. Some things parents should watch out for are loss of coordination, slurred speech, and dizziness.
READ ARTICLE : http://www.arkansasnbc.com/Global/story.as...35&nav=F8n2KSHv (http://www.arkansasnbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=1612935&nav=F8n2KSHv)