Student Services

Health & Safety

FYI Regarding Over-the-Counter Drugs - Educating Your Children

Although recent data on adolescent drug use appears encouraging, the practice of "pharming", or getting high on large doses of OTC drugs, is increasing.

One of the most popular OTC drug right now is dextromethorphan (DXM), a cough suppressant found in many old remedies including Robitussin, Coricidin HBP Cough and Cold, and Contac. DXM is perfectly safe at the recommended dosage, but at 10 times the recommended dosage it can act like PCP or heroin-inducing visions and hallucinations.

Overdoses can cause confusion dizziness, the inability to move limbs or to talk, slowed breathing and even death. Randall Bond, MD, Medical Director of the Drug and Poison Information Center blames most deaths on hallucinations and symptoms of intoxication that often put kids in harms way.

In addition to DXM there are other potentially dangerous OTC drugs: Nasal decongestants containing pseudoephedrine, the same stimulant found in methamphetamines; Antidarrheal medications containing loperamide, which can produce opiate-like effects; and antihistamines containing diphenhydramine, a potential hallucinogen at high doses.

Parents can take four steps to help protect their children from theses potentially dangerous (OTC) drugs:

1. Talk frequently with their children about the risk involved. Kids who learn about drug risks at home are almost 50% less likely to try drugs.
2. Education themselves about the dangers of drugs popular with their children's peer group. www.prevention.com/links is a good resource.
3. Watch for warning signs. Note any changes in behavior, new friends or extreme mood swings.
4. Check the trash and look for empty packages of (OTC) drugs in rooms and backpacks.

Any questions/information requests, please contact Student Services