Coricidin HBP for Cough and Cold - An Alarming Drug Trend

[M.D. Holloway]

Coricidin HBP for Cough and Cold - An Alarming Drug Trend

Some teenagers and young adults are deliberately ingesting large amounts of Coricidin HBP for Cough and Cold. They are taking as many as 15 tablets at one time and this medicine is available right off the shelf at the local store.

Authorities say a growing number of teenagers are using over-the-counter cold medicines and cough syrup in excessive doses as recreational drugs - seeking what they describe as an LSD-like "high" from dextromethorphan, a non-prescription cough suppressant, an active ingredient of such products as Robittussin D and Coricidin D.

According to the DEA, "The abusers report a heightened sense of perceptual awareness, altered time perception and visual hallucinations." Most are discovering the practice on the internet (teen jargon: Dxing, Robotrippin', tussin', Triple C, Skittles) or from friends at school. Because the medications can be acquired legally, there is no means for tracking the breadth of abuse.

Here are the facts:

Dextromethorphan abuse is not new. Cold medicines have a history of being abused in an attempt to seek a cheap accessible high, but abusers often experience respiratory distress, slurred speech and hypertension.


Large amounts of Robitussin DM and other similar dextromethorphan-containing liquids have been uncommonly abused for years. This new trend of Coricidin abuse (taking 12-15 tablets) is an attempt to avoid drinking four to eight ounces or more of cough syrup at one time, a frequently nauseating experience. An excessively large amount of dextromethorphan could lead to coma and death.


Reported Symptoms Include: increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, increased pupil size, drowsiness, dizziness, slurred speech, unsteady gait, hallucinations, confusion, and nystagmus (involuntary rapid, rhythmic movement of the eyeballs).


An additional risk for teens is choosing the wrong Coricidin product. Some of the other Coricidin formulations include other ingredients such as acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) and/or phenylpropanolamine (a decongestant). Overdoses of acetaminophen can cause liver damage. Large doses of phenylpropanolamine are toxic to the heart and central nervous system.



Pharmacists, emergency department physicians, retailers, counselors, school nurses, teachers and parents (Lookout for excessive packages of cold medicine laying around.) need to be aware of this new trend

nothing new but bad nontheless...

[HardDrive]

WTF is wrong with mushrooms and weed?

[SlowToady]

Definitely nothing new here. We discovered that in HS, about 6 years ago.

15 isn't that many...I've seen kids take 2 and 3 boxes at a time (16 per box, I think). The tolerance builds very quickly.

I've done it maybe...4 times. Took between 6 and 9 of them...definitely a crazy, crazy feeling. It's pretty intense.

[cstreit]

I remember there was a guy at Indiana U. that published a small magazine called "Tussin Up" based on the Robotussin "culture". Caught it at a small bookstore while visiting a buddy down there.

Ah yes... Here we are: http://tussinup.whybark.com/

Seems the author had a untimely death at age 20 or so...