The materials found in this toolkit address the recent trend among young people who are taking large amounts of over-the-counter cough medicines that contain dextromethorphan (sometimes abbreviated DXM) to get high. What’s alarming is the fact that parents and kids don’t know the harm these medicines can cause when abused in extremely large amounts. This, coupled with how accessible the medications are in home medicine cabinets, local retail stores, and on the Internet is catching parents by surprise—especially once they learn that this kind of behavior can be extremely dangerous.
Is Cough Medicine Abuse on Your Radar Screen?
Do You Know what Skittling Is? How About Tussing? Chances Are, One In Every 10 Teenagers Does.
Recent research shows that while parents are aware of warnings against the dangers of illicit street drugs, both prescription medicine and over-the-counter (OTC) cough preparations are often overlooked as potential threats. While an estimated one in five teens have abused prescription drugs, an estimated one in 10 youths or 2.4 million young people have intentionally abused cough medicines to get high. According to data collected by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, this suggests that the deliberate abuse of medicines—both prescription and over-the-counter—appears to be an entrenched behavior. Further underscoring this trend, recent data collected by the National Institute on Drug Abuse for its “Monitoring the Future” study estimates the intentional abuse of cough medicine among eighth, tenth, and twelfth graders is roughly at four percent, five percent, and seven percent, respectively—on par with some illicit drugs.
Using This Toolkit
Parents, schools, retailers, healthcare providers, law enforcement officials, and others need to know what the harmful side effects are if these drugs are abused; how kids are getting the drugs; the possible warning signs of abuse; and what messages the media needs to hear in order to assure coverage of the issue. The Dose of Prevention toolkit, a product of Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA’s) partnership with the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), provides the critical information you need to stop this problem before it starts. The toolkit contains:
You can choose to use the materials in their paper form and you can also go directly to our new web site, www.doseofprevention.org, to create and adapt the pieces that meet your needs. The web site will continue to provide updated information and new materials. We urge you to use this toolkit in ways that best fit your community.
While the materials focus on cough medicine abuse, you need to be aware
of similar
prescription drug abuse trends. The abuse of medicines is not about a particular
product or ingredient; it’s about the general behavior surrounding
all medicine abuse—OTC and prescription—and the perception by
teens that this sort of substance abuse carries relatively low risk.
What is Dextromethorphan?
Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cough and cold remedies, and is generally safe when taken in recommended doses. With over 100 medicines containing dextromethorphan on the market today, these medicines come in the form of liquids, capsules, gelcaps, lozenges, and tablets. Examples include Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Cough Formula, Coricidin HBP Cough and Cold, some Delsym products, Dimetapp® DM, some Mucinex® products, PediaCare cough medicines, certain Robitussin® cough products, Sudafed cough products, TheraFlu® Cough products, Triaminic® cough products, Tylenol Cough and Tylenol Cold products, Vicks 44 Cough Relief products, certain Vicks DayQuil and NyQuil LiquiCaps, and Zicam. There also are a number of store brands that contain dextromethorphan, as well.
Since it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the 1950s, dextromethorphan has become the most widely used cough suppressant in the U.S.
Risks of OTC Cough Medicine Abuse
At recommended doses, OTC cough medicines have little or no physical or psychological side effects. When abused, medicines containing dextromethorphan are taken in extreme excess—sometimes 25–50 times the recommended doses. Large amounts can produce hallucinations and other effects similar to the high experienced with ecstasy. DXM abusers experience mild distortions of color and sound, strong visual hallucinations, “out-of-body” sensations, confusion, slurred speech, and the loss of motor control. Other serious side effects include:
— Delusions
— Panic attacks
— Memory problems
— Blurred vision
— Stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting
— High blood pressure and rapid heart beat
— Numbness of fingers and toes
— Drowsiness and dizziness
— Fever and headaches
— Rashes and itchy skin
— Loss of consciousness
Side effects can be worsened if the dextromethorphan-containing cough medicine being abused also contains other ingredients to treat more than just coughs. Cough medicine also is sometimes abused in combination with other medications, alcohol, and illegal drugs, which can increase the dangerous side effects.
Know the Signs of Cough Medicine Abuse
Signs that a child could be abusing OTC cough medicines or other drugs include:
Want to Learn More?
Stop Cough Medicine Abuse Programs
Consumer Healthcare Products Association
www.StopMedicineAbuse.org
A Dose of Prevention Toolkit
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America and Consumer Healthcare Products
Association:
www.doseofprevention.org
What Every Parent Needs to Know about Cough Medicine Abuse
Partnership for a Drug-Free America and Consumer Healthcare Products Association:
www.OTCsafety.org/publications
Intelligence Bulletin: DXM,
U.S. Department of Justice:
www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs1111563/index.htm
Battling The Over-The-Counter High
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration:
https://ncadistore.samhsa.gov/
Teens: Make Up Your Own Mind About DXM
Partnership for a Drug-Free America:
www.dxmstories.com