Family Service of Glencoe Youth Coordinator Alerts Local Parents
and Pharmacists to the Dangers of Dextromethorphan Abuse
12/21/2010
GLENCOE, IL – Over the counter cough medicines and lozenges comfort us when we’re feeling sick, quieting coughs from colds and the flu. Most of us have these items in our medicine cabinets. But an ingredient found in many of them, Dextromethorphan, is being used by young people as a way to achieve an easy-access high that can be dangerous – and even deadly.
Sometimes called “Robo-tripping” due to the reference to Robotussin cough syrup or “Triple C” for Coricidin-D, Dextromethorphan (colloquially referred to as “Dex” or “DXM”) abuse happens when large quantities of cough remedies and even lozenges containing Dextromethorphan are consumed with the goal of obtaining a euphoric or even hallucinogenic high. Products that contain Dextromethophan can be in tablet, capsule, gel cap, lozenge and syrup form, and are labeled DM, cough suppressant, or contain the word “Tuss” in the title.
“These drugs are easily available in most everyone’s household as well as over the counter at our local pharmacies, and parents need to be aware of the dangers of their abuse,” says Al Ross, LSCW, Family Service of Glencoe’s Youth, Family and Community Coordinator. “Family Service of Glencoe and Glencoe Public Safety have seen a rise in cases of children abusing Dextromethorphan. Thankfully we have not seen any deaths yet, but they can and do occur, so we want to raise both parental and pharmacist awareness about this issue before it’s too late.”
In 2006, a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) survey showed more than 3 million people age 12 to 25 had used cough medications to get high. Half of those patients taken to the emergency room for non-medical use of Dextromethorphan were aged 12 to 20.
Excessive intake of Dextromethorphan can cause blurred vision, fever, high blood pressure, elevated heart rate and elevated body temperature, hallucinations, loss of motor control, coma and even death. While death due to overconsumption of cough medicine might be hard to imagine, it’s possible, especially when large quantities of Dextromethorphan are consumed along with stimulants such as caffeinated beverages, energy drinks and even stimulant medicines like those taken to treat ADHD. Dextromethorphan abuse can be addictive, and can also lead to the use and abuse of other drugs.
Ross has also expressed his concerns to local pharmacies as well, asking them to be on alert. An FDA advisory committee panel recently reviewed the issue and recommended that over the counter drugs containing Dextromethorphan should remain available without a prescription. These drugs are readily available in the cough and cold sections of local pharmacies.
The warning signs for Dextromethorphan abuse include medicinal breath, empty or missing cold medicine bottles, or a sudden change in a child’s appearance or sleeping habits.
As the abuse of cold medicines appears to be on the rise, Family Service of Glencoe encourages open dialogue about the dangers of abusing all drugs. “Robo-tripping” may seem recreational and harmless, but it can lead to addiction, health risks, and even worse, death,” says Ross. For more information or to get help, please call Al Ross at Family Service of Glencoe at (847) 845-5111.
ABOUT FAMILY SERVICE OF GLENCOE – A nonprofit organization serving Glencoe for 97 years, Family Service of Glencoe offers services that support and enhance the emotional and psychological well-being of community members of all ages, including counseling to individuals, couples and families; a domestic violence prevention program; community education, crisis intervention, senior housing assistance, and more. To receive help or become a supporter, visit www.familyserviceofglencoe.org or call 847-835-5111.
