Parents need to know

Young people are abusing a safe and effective cough suppressant. Either purchased from stores, shoplifted from drugstore shelves or taken from home medicine cabinets Dextromethorphan or DXM is one of the new, cheap, easy-to-obtain highs that teenagers are using.

There are 125 to 135 over-the-counter cold medicines that contain DXM. When used correctly, DXM is a safe and effective way to suppress cough and cold symptoms. Often teenagers who are looking to get high turn to over-the-counter drugs that contain DXM because they are readily available at home or a local drug store.

DXM has been used safely for more than 47 years in several over-the-counter drugs, such as Vicks 44 Cough Relief and Robitussin Maximum Strength Cough Suppressant. However, since 1994, reports of abuse of DXM have increased.

Since DXM’s psychoactive effects only kick in when massive amounts are consumed, common side effects blur together with symptoms of overdose. Besides the predictable nausea and vomiting, DXM can also cause itching, rash and profuse sweating. Excitability and impaired coordination are common signs of overdose, which requires immediate medical attention.

Making DXM especially risky is that many over-the-counter medications, which contain the drug, also contain other active ingredients, including acetaminophen, which can raise the risk of overdose complications, even death.

Slang terms for Dextromethorphan vary by product and region. The most common terms include: Dex, DXM, Robo, Skittles, Syrup, Triple-C and Tussin.

Terms for using Dextromethorphan include: Robo-ing, Robo-tripping and skittling.

There is little in current teen culture music, movies, fashion and entertainment that promotes or even mentions cough medicine abuse. The one exception is the Internet.

A number of Web sites promote the abuse of DXM. The information on these sites ranges from recommending how much to take, suggesting other drugs to combine with DXM, instructing how to extract DXM from cough medicines, and even selling a powder form of DXM for snorting.

Other sites display art, movies and music produced by people promoting DXM and other forms of drug abuse. Parents should be aware of what their teens are doing on the Internet, the Web sites they visit and the amount of time they are logged on.

The Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) provides brochures titled “A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Teen Cough Medicine Abuse” to parents who want additional information.

Story Here: http://tradoc.monroe.army.mil/casemate/sta...0204cmabuse.htm

[Infected Method]

which requires immediate medical attention.

Everytime I accidently overdose on DXM, I call 911 immediately.
They told me.. "just stop calling, you'll be fine"

Making DXM especially risky is that many over-the-counter medications, which contain the drug, also contain other active ingredients, including acetaminophen, which can raise the risk of overdose complications, even death.

Down with medications containing other ingrediants!
Someone needs to make a 500mg DXM pill. ^_^

and even selling a powder form of DXM for snorting.

Looks like the writer of this article has been visiting DV lately.

[rfgdxm]

Originally posted by drdªv€@Apr 2 2004, 04:16 PM
There is little in current teen culture music, movies, fashion and entertainment that promotes or even mentions cough medicine abuse. The one exception is the Internet.

A number of Web sites promote the abuse of DXM. The information on these sites ranges from recommending how much to take, suggesting other drugs to combine with DXM, instructing how to extract DXM from cough medicines, and even selling a powder form of DXM for snorting.

Other sites display art, movies and music produced by people promoting DXM and other forms of drug abuse. Parents should be aware of what their teens are doing on the Internet, the Web sites they visit and the amount of time they are logged on.

Isn't this ripped off from the PFDA? I feel like Socrates. (For anyone who doesn't get the reference, read Plato's "Apology".) They really are accusing me, and the Dextroverse, of corrupting the youth of America. I just checked my Google rankings earlier today. At the moment, I just hit #1 for a search on "DXM", beating out Erowid. I've long been #1 for "dextromethorphan". Even though I list numerous DXM deaths on my site, I "promote the abuse of DXM." I'll guess they mean the DV with that "Other sites display art, movies and music produced by people promoting DXM and other forms of drug abuse." I'll assume that part about selling a powder form of DXM for snorting is just a total lie. Unless the DV is hawking DXM to masochists for snorting, and I just can't find the link here.

I probably should take down my websites if I had any sense. They are just *too* visible. The problem is that I believe in what I am doing.

http://www.dextromethorphan.ws/dxmdeaths.htm
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=843ms...m&output=gplain

"Ed's" sister wanted this to be publicly known. I'd just couldn't ethically accept just deleting that. While sweeping such under the rug may be politically convenient, that wouldn't make it right.

(And, good goddess. I actually quoted Neil Young when I wrote that? Ack. Me and "ed" exchanged a number of e-mails. At the time I wrote that, emotions intruded on logic.)

[boulderguitarist]

Actually, I thought this report wasn't too bad compared to some of the others. It might have been a little ignornant but it least it didn't try and force the point across that DXM kills kids like some of the other articles do. I dunno, maybe I misinterprited the article. I wanna know how i can get my hands “A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Teen Cough Medicine Abuse”, i can't imagine how faulty that packet must be, its made by the army. Anyway, i gotta go snort some powder...

"Ed's" sister wanted this to be publicly known.

I still remember her post. She posted as "doesntmatter", IIRC. November 14, 1999, right?

I had hoped that would be the only one.

It is borderline slander to say that DXM websites promote its use.

[libel]

It is borderline slander to say that DXM websites promote its use.

Agreed. Maybe harm reduction would be a better term, but of course this isnt the case.

[rfgdxm]

Originally posted by KILLBILL@Apr 4 2004, 12:35 AM

I still remember her post. She posted as "doesntmatter", IIRC. November 14, 1999, right?

I had hoped that would be the only one.

It is borderline slander to say that DXM websites promote its use.

Yep, that was "ed's" sister. As for DXM websites promoting its use, if you remember "ed" used to regularly argue with me at the Third Plateau (I was moderator there at the time) that trip sitters weren't needed. Basically, he just died alone of a DXM powder OD. Had he had a trip sitter, very likely he would still be alive. I fail to see the logic of blaming DXM websites for deaths where people take DXM in ways those sites specifically say NOT to. Look at some of the other DXM deaths. Mixing DXM with high doses of morphine? Dunno what DXM website says do that. And look at all the deaths involving Coricidin. ALL DXM websites worth mentioning say stay the fuck away from Coricidin.

The evidence points more in the direction that people are dying from DXM based on what they hear about it on the streets. If the only source of information someone had about DXM was from the DXM websites, they'd come away with the impression that Coricidin is some drug of death to dangerous to consider, and be drinking Robo Max instead.