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02-19-2004, 10:43 PM
FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. -- It's cheap, it's legal, and available at any drug store.
Teen: I Couldn't Move After Taking Triple C
WXII 12 News' Melissa Marsh investigates the latest, dangerous way for teenagers to get high. Teenagers call it Triple C, Skittles, or Red Devils.
The little red pills are Coricidin HPG, a popular over-the-counter cold medicine that looks like candy and has three C's on it.
Teen: This Drug Is Dangerous
"I tried triple C probably when I was a freshman. I took 8 the first time and 6 the second time," said Leslie Miller (pictured, left).
"The first time, I was laying on a bed and I didn't move for about 4 hours. In order to smoke a cigarette, somebody had to hold it up to my mouth and I could barely inhale. I couldn't do anything, I could not move," said Miller.
Miller said she felt like she was drunk. She said it was a horrible feeling. And many times teenagers chase the pills with alcohol.
"Some people that I know have taken like 16 and it makes them go crazy, like tripping on acid kind of thing," said Miller.
The active ingredient in Coricidin is Dextromethorphan, known as DXM.
"At higher doses, they may have trouble walking, their eyes may not look normal. In fact, they may have sort of a darting pattern in their eyes," said Dr. Anna Rouse with Carolinas Poison Center (pictured, right). Rouse said in the last three years there has been an increase in the abuse of DXM.
"We get calls about alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, but the Dextromethorphan is something we are getting increasingly more calls about. It is an up and coming phenomenon that we can expect to stick around for several years, at least," said Rouse.
In the Piedmont alone, DXM cases have been reported in Guilford, Forsyth, Alamance, Davidson, Randolph, Surry and Wilkes Counties.
"The predominant age groups seem to be 15 to 17 years of age," said Rouse.
Students like 17-year-old Miller, a junior at Glenn High School in Kernersville.
"You can't get pulled over and caught with them and get in trouble," said Miller.
She said many times teens steal them.
"You can go to WAL-MART or any store. You can go to CVS and get them. It's really easy to get and it's legal so you know it's really easy," said Miller.
Miller said she knows of close to 100 teens who have tried Triple C.
"One time I actually found a girl that you would never think did drugs in the bathroom at school, laying out on the floor in the bathroom. She had taken like 10 of them and she couldn't move. She felt like she was going to throw up. She was hung over the toilet. She said she was hot and sweating and I had to help her to the office and help her get home," said Miller.
"Of course, we suspected something more than just being sick. It's difficult to prove what she had taken, no smell of alcohol, no smell of marijuana usage. It's very difficult to detect," said high school principal Adolphus Coplin (pictured, left).
When Marsh showed Coplin Miller's interview, he was surprised by how often it happened. "Yes that surprised me. I'm not sure about the number 90 or 100. Look at that number a little bit more closely," said Coplin.
"I know about the over the counter medication that students have been taking. Triple C and the names that the kids attribute these medications too, I'm not as familiar with," said Coplin.
Coplin said he does not think many parents know their children can abuse cough medicine and get messed up. He said most high school students know and most high school students that do drugs know.
How do teenagers find out about Triple C? Miller said the Internet has plenty of information about the little red pills.
"The Internet has definitely contributed to the popularity of this as a substance of abuse," said Miller.
"Not only is it dangerous, it's not fun. I mean it's really not fun. You try the drugs and you think maybe it will be like this, maybe I'll have fun doing that, And it's not. It's a horrible feeling," said Miller.
Experts at the Poison Control Center said teenagers already know about Triple C, it's the parents who need to be educated.
DXM ABuse
The Warning Signs:
Here are the symptoms to watch for:
Clumsy walking and lack of coordination
Slurred Speech
Nausea and vomiting
Heavy Sweating
Rigid muscles and involuntary movement
Numbness of fingers or toes
Tremor
Low body temperature
Impaired judgment or confusion
North Carolina DXM Cases:
In 2001, Carolinas Poison Center in Charlotte received 614 calls about DXM Abuse.
In 2002, Carolinas Poison Center in Charlotte received 753calls about DXM Abuse.
In 2003, Carolinas Poison Center in Charlotte received 907 calls about DXM Abuse.
ARTICLE: http://www.wxii12.com/health/2856266/detail.html
Teen: I Couldn't Move After Taking Triple C
WXII 12 News' Melissa Marsh investigates the latest, dangerous way for teenagers to get high. Teenagers call it Triple C, Skittles, or Red Devils.
The little red pills are Coricidin HPG, a popular over-the-counter cold medicine that looks like candy and has three C's on it.
Teen: This Drug Is Dangerous
"I tried triple C probably when I was a freshman. I took 8 the first time and 6 the second time," said Leslie Miller (pictured, left).
"The first time, I was laying on a bed and I didn't move for about 4 hours. In order to smoke a cigarette, somebody had to hold it up to my mouth and I could barely inhale. I couldn't do anything, I could not move," said Miller.
Miller said she felt like she was drunk. She said it was a horrible feeling. And many times teenagers chase the pills with alcohol.
"Some people that I know have taken like 16 and it makes them go crazy, like tripping on acid kind of thing," said Miller.
The active ingredient in Coricidin is Dextromethorphan, known as DXM.
"At higher doses, they may have trouble walking, their eyes may not look normal. In fact, they may have sort of a darting pattern in their eyes," said Dr. Anna Rouse with Carolinas Poison Center (pictured, right). Rouse said in the last three years there has been an increase in the abuse of DXM.
"We get calls about alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, but the Dextromethorphan is something we are getting increasingly more calls about. It is an up and coming phenomenon that we can expect to stick around for several years, at least," said Rouse.
In the Piedmont alone, DXM cases have been reported in Guilford, Forsyth, Alamance, Davidson, Randolph, Surry and Wilkes Counties.
"The predominant age groups seem to be 15 to 17 years of age," said Rouse.
Students like 17-year-old Miller, a junior at Glenn High School in Kernersville.
"You can't get pulled over and caught with them and get in trouble," said Miller.
She said many times teens steal them.
"You can go to WAL-MART or any store. You can go to CVS and get them. It's really easy to get and it's legal so you know it's really easy," said Miller.
Miller said she knows of close to 100 teens who have tried Triple C.
"One time I actually found a girl that you would never think did drugs in the bathroom at school, laying out on the floor in the bathroom. She had taken like 10 of them and she couldn't move. She felt like she was going to throw up. She was hung over the toilet. She said she was hot and sweating and I had to help her to the office and help her get home," said Miller.
"Of course, we suspected something more than just being sick. It's difficult to prove what she had taken, no smell of alcohol, no smell of marijuana usage. It's very difficult to detect," said high school principal Adolphus Coplin (pictured, left).
When Marsh showed Coplin Miller's interview, he was surprised by how often it happened. "Yes that surprised me. I'm not sure about the number 90 or 100. Look at that number a little bit more closely," said Coplin.
"I know about the over the counter medication that students have been taking. Triple C and the names that the kids attribute these medications too, I'm not as familiar with," said Coplin.
Coplin said he does not think many parents know their children can abuse cough medicine and get messed up. He said most high school students know and most high school students that do drugs know.
How do teenagers find out about Triple C? Miller said the Internet has plenty of information about the little red pills.
"The Internet has definitely contributed to the popularity of this as a substance of abuse," said Miller.
"Not only is it dangerous, it's not fun. I mean it's really not fun. You try the drugs and you think maybe it will be like this, maybe I'll have fun doing that, And it's not. It's a horrible feeling," said Miller.
Experts at the Poison Control Center said teenagers already know about Triple C, it's the parents who need to be educated.
DXM ABuse
The Warning Signs:
Here are the symptoms to watch for:
Clumsy walking and lack of coordination
Slurred Speech
Nausea and vomiting
Heavy Sweating
Rigid muscles and involuntary movement
Numbness of fingers or toes
Tremor
Low body temperature
Impaired judgment or confusion
North Carolina DXM Cases:
In 2001, Carolinas Poison Center in Charlotte received 614 calls about DXM Abuse.
In 2002, Carolinas Poison Center in Charlotte received 753calls about DXM Abuse.
In 2003, Carolinas Poison Center in Charlotte received 907 calls about DXM Abuse.
ARTICLE: http://www.wxii12.com/health/2856266/detail.html