'Skittling' spurs health warning

Posted on Tue, Mar. 15, 2005


'Skittling' spurs health warning
Teenagers abusing small red cold pills

It's known as "Skittling'' because the small red pills look like the candy Skittles, but poison control officials are warning parents to be on the lookout for children who may be using Coricidin Cough and Cold pills to get high.

Even worse, kids who take large amounts of Coricidin may be in danger of damaging their livers.

Poison control officials say an increasing number of young people, many in middle school, are using the Coricidin product, which is sold over the counter, as a cheap and accessible way to mimic the effects of alcohol.

"We're getting calls from emergency rooms with kids acting drunk but with no blood alcohol," said Kirk Hughes, poison information specialist at the Hennepin Regional Poison Center.

The intoxicating ingredient in Coricidin Cough and Cold medicine is the cough suppressant dextromethorphan, which can cause a dangerous increase in heart rate and blood pressure and lead to seizures.

Other formulations of Coricidin medicine also contain acetaminophen, and taking large numbers of those pills can lead to liver damage, Hughes said.

If someone develops pain in his or her right upper chest after taking Coricidin, they should go immediately to the emergency room, Hughes said.

Another common form of teenage medicine abuse is taking Robitussin DM, a practice known as "Robotripping.''

Robitussin DM also has the cough suppressant dextromethorphan and can cause intoxication. Parents should be on the lookout for the cough medicine in the home, Hughes said.

"If they see unexplained bottles of cough medicine in the home, or if their kids are just staring off into space, it may be an indication their kids are using these products," he said.

The Hennepin Regional Poison Center is the poison center for the entire state of Minnesota and answers 70,000 calls a year from Minnesota residents and health care providers.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/n...al/11136777.htm

Well-written article.

[Suburban_Prince]

if their kids are just staring off into space, it may be an indication their kids are using these products," he said.

lol, then it would indicate that i was tripping long before i ever even heard of dxm :P