Transcript View File - Kalani Athletics

Inside the Cough Medicine
Abuse Subculture
Abuse of Rx and OTC Medicines
Recent studies indicate
that the abuse of
prescription (Rx) and
over-the-counter
medicines (OTCs) to
get high is a growing
concern— particularly
among young people
between the ages of
12-17.
The Bad News
Generation Rx
Vicodin
Inhalants
Cough medicine
GHB
More Than 100 Cough & Cold
Remedies Contain DXM
Abuse of Rx and OTC
Medications
Kids often turn to
prescription or
over-the counter
(OTC) drugs,
which are as easy
to find as opening
a family medicine
cabinet.
Latest Trend
To abuse cough and cold
medicines that contain
dextromethorphan (DXM)
One out of 10 young people
aged 12-17
--2.4 million kids-say they have abused DXMcontaining OTC cough
medicines to get high
National Institute on Drug Abuse’s
Monitoring the Future 2006 Survey
Reports intentional abuse of cough medicine
by:
8th graders = 4% of all students
10th graders = 5% of all students
12th graders = 7% of all students
On par with abuse of other illicit drugs
among this population group
Kids Who Abuse OTC Cough
Medicine to Get High Because:
• Their friends are
doing it;
• It’s legal (therefore
more accessible);
• It’s low-cost or free;
• It’s seen as being
safer than other
forms of drug
abuse.
Kids Don’t Understand the Risks
& Dangers of Abusing DXM
Only 45% of teens and pre-teens
believe that abusing cough medicine to
get high is risky, which means that over
half believe it is not.
Detromethorphan
(DEX)
The active ingredient or one of the active
ingredients in cough medicines which
causes the “high”
DXM is Effective & Generally
Safe When Taken in
Recommended Doses
• Approved by the FDA in the 1950s;
• The most widely used cough
suppressant in the U.S.;
• Filled the need for a medication that
lacked codeine’s addictive qualities.
Sample of Products with DXM
• Alka-Seltzer Plus
Cold & Cough
Medicine
• Coricidin HBP Cough
and Cold
• Dayquil LiquiCaps
• Dimetapp DM
• Robitussin cough
products
• Sudafed cough
products
• Triaminic cough
syrups
• Tylenol Cold products
• Vicks 44 Cough Relief
products
• Vicks NyQuil
LiquiCaps
• Generic/store brands
“Code names” for DXM or
Specific Products
• “Dex, DXM, Robo, Skittles, Syrup,
Tussin;”
• “Triple-C or CCC” refers to a cold and
cough remedy, which has potent doses
of DXM.
“Code names” for Abusing DXMContaining Cough Medicines
“Roboing, Robo-tripping, Robo-fizzing,
Smurfing (buying cough medicines
from multiple retail stores), and
Skittling”
“Code names” for Users
“Syrup heads”
or “robotards"
The “High”
• Similar to an ecstasy-like high
• Experience mild distortions of color
and sound
• Strong visual hallucinations
• “Out-of-body" sensations
• Confusion
• Slurred speech
• Loss of motor control
The “Lows”
•
•
•
•
•
•
Dehydration
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 DXM-containing cough medicine
being abused also contains other
ingredients to treat more than just
coughs;
• Taken with alcohol and illegal drugs;
• Used in combination with other
medications.
Of Major Concern is Combining
DXM With…
• Non-drowsy antihistamines
• SSRI anti-depressants
• MAOI inhibitors
Combining DXM with these drugs
is extremely dangerous and can
send young people to the ER.
A Normal Dose of Cough
Medicine is 15-30 Milligrams
• Mind-altering effects can occur at
doses as low as 100 milligrams;
• Kids consume enough pills or syrup to
equal 240-360 milligrams, or 25-50
times beyond the recommended doses;
• Some even take up to 80 pills/day.
Pills vs. Syrup
• Pills easier to conceal and consume;
• Drink cough syrup undiluted;
• Consume pure, unfinished DXM powders and
pills, purchased over the Internet;
• Mix pills, powders or syrup with sodas or
alcohol, called “Robo-fizzing.”
“Pharming” Parties
• Kids collect Rx and
OTC pills;
• Mix together and
randomly consume
handfuls of tablets;
• Oblivious to
consequences;
– Taking excessive
amount of pills
– Potential danger of
combining drugs
OTC Cough Medicine Abuse
and the Internet
Why the Internet?
• Hundreds of web sites/online communities
provide information about abuse of DXMcontaining cough medicine;
• Sites assume visitors are users;
• No questions asked;
• Has helped create a subculture of abuse.
Web Sites Provide
Information About…
• How to achieve an ecstasy-like high
based on a user’s height and weight;
• How best to combine DXM with other
drugs, alcohol, etc., and the dangerous
side effects of other combinations.
Web Sites Are Also Online
Drug Dealers
• Sell pure, raw, DXM “in bulk” with no
questions asked;
• Kids can log-on to specific sites and
purchase bulk amounts of the pure
DXM with only a credit card or PayPal
and shipping address.
Social Networking Web Sites
Spread Info About DXM Abuse
•
•
•
•
MySpace
YouTube
LiveJournal
Facebook
Postings on Social Networks
• Detailed instructions
and conversations
about DXM abuse;
• Blogs and videos with
postings of how and
when kids will take
DXM-containing
cough medicines;
• Footage of kids while
“high.”
Sample Web Sites
•
•
•
•
•
•
www.third-plateau.org
www.erowid.org
www.dextroverse.org
www.lycaeum.org
www.myspace.com/dextromethorphan
http://forum.grasscity.com/general/1208
75-dxm-trip-report.html
Sample of Products with DXM
• Alka-Seltzer Plus
Cold & Cough
Medicine
• Coricidin HBP Cough
and Cold
• Dimetapp DM
• Robitussin cough
products
• Sudafed cough
medicines
• Triaminic cough
syrups
• Tylenol Cold products
• Vicks 44 Cough Relief
products
• Vicks NyQuil and
Dayquil Medicines
• Generic/store brands
StopMedicineAbuse.org:
Online resource on cough medicine abuse
 StopMedicineAbuse.org,
comprehensive site featuring all
educational programming aimed at
addressing medicine abuse
 FiveMoms.com—a social networking site
where parents can interact with other parents,
read blog entries, and learn more about medicine
abuse
 DXMstories.com— an interactive
website where you can view testimonials on
medicine abuse.
 DoseOfPrevention.org, —engage
groups in your communities to prevent medicine
abuse with the toolkit created by CADCA and
CHPA
Survey Highlights on Parents
• 73 percent of coalition members said they
do not think parents in their communities
are aware that OTC medicine abuse is a
problem among youth.
• 75 percent responded that parents do not
talk to their children and teens about the
dangers of abusing OTC cough meds.
Survey Highlights on Schools
• Many coalition leaders also felt that
schools were not adequately addressing
the issue.
• More than half said school surveys in their
community do not include questions about
the abuse of cough medicines.
Dose of Prevention Campaign
In response, CADCA partnered with the
Consumer Healthcare Products Association
(CHPA), which represents the makers of
over-the-counter medicines, and launched
the Dose of Prevention campaign, to
educate communities about cough medicine
abuse.
A Dose of Prevention Toolkit
• Online in downloadable format to be
replicated and modified for local use.
www.DoseOfPrevention.org
What’s in the Toolkit
• An Overview
• Targeted Outreach Fact Sheets
− Parents
− Educators
− Healthcare Providers
− Retailers
− Law Enforcement
• An Internet Alert
• Sample Media Outreach Materials
− Op-Ed
− Press Release & Media Advisory
− Statistics and Quotes Sheet