This is in response to “Study: More teens abusing legal drugs” (News, Dec. 22). The article brings to light the increasingly dangerous phenomenon of adolescents abusing readily obtainable, over-the-counter and prescription medications.
Emergency-room physicians and health-care professionals across the country are reporting a significant increase in the number of teens misusing non-prescription cough and cold medicines. Because of the accessibility and ease of use of over-the-counter cough and cold tablets, teens are using them to attain hallucinogenic effects similar to PCP. At issue are cough and cold tablets containing DXM, a cough suppressant.
Large quantities of DXM can cause side effects similar to a PCP overdose, including slurred speech, tremors, seizures, coma and death.
Increasing numbers of teens are abusing prescription pain relievers and even their own ADHD medications.
They are not illegal to purchase. It’s not even illegal to take them in large quantities. But it is dangerous and foolish.
The medications are readily available in most pharmacies and medicine cabinets across America.
That is what is scaring health professionals.
These kids can abuse a long time before adults suspect a problem.
Most primary-care physicians are unaware of the scope of the problem.
Parents must monitor their children and adolescents for what is becoming a more-frequent and dangerous phenomenon.
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