WAR HEADS OVER THE COUNTER

TAMPA - A high school teacher worried Wednesday, when her student's
speech slurred and his eyes twitched involuntarily.

The 14-year-old freshman had taken 24 tablets of the cough and cold
remedy Coricidin HBP.

Two weeks ago, another 14-year-old was caught driving under the
influence. Turns out she took the same medication, nicknamed Triple C
or Skittling.

``It's becoming more and more common in high school,'' Hillsborough
County sheriff's Deputy Stuart O'Shannon said.

The war against drugs has moved from the streets to the drugstore, and
parents better take heed, experts warn.

``Know what your kids are doing,'' sheriff's Deputy Lloyd Hyder told a
community group Wednesday, during an educational forum on club and
prescription drugs.

The drug contains dextromethorphan, or DXM, a synthetic nonnarcotic
that, taken improperly, can create a heightened sense of awareness,
altered time perception and hallucinations.

It also can cause seizures, cerebral hemorrhages, strokes, permanent
brain damage and death.

DXM in the powder form can be bought over the Internet, where there
also are instructions on how much is needed for desired effects.

Joanne Knecht didn't attend the meeting, but the mother of five
children from preschool to high school age saw a television show about
the abuse of Coricidin and other cold medicines.

``My kids haven't said anything about this, but I know I want to talk
with them about it,'' the Riverview physical therapist said.

The Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance hosted the event at the
Tampa Marriott Waterside. The Mendez Foundation, which offers drug
education in Hillsborough County schools, and Purdue Pharma, a
pharmaceutical company that manufactures OxyContin among other
prescription drugs, were sponsors.

Other popular drugs for students include methamphetamine, a powderlike
substance concocted from household chemicals and cold tablets.

Polk County is known as the meth capital of the Southeast, said Paul
Doering, a pharmacology professor at the University of Florida.

School officials, even parents, have been caught stealing Ritalin from
children, he said. The drug is typically prescribed to treat attention
deficit disorders, but it can cause the same effects as cocaine.

He has even heard of middle school students snorting aspirin and birth
control pills.

``We've got to wake up,'' Doering said. ``Just because it's
pharmaceutical, just because it's over the counter doesn't mean it's
safe.

Doering outlined abuse of Xanax, an antidepressant, and designer
drugs, such as Ecstasy, an illegal variation of mescaline and
amphetamine.

Both drugs have been found on the University of South Florida campus,
USF police Officer Jeff Humphrey said.

``It adds a whole other level to it,'' Humphrey said of enforcement.
``You don't know what they are on.''

For information, call the Hillsborough County Anti- Drug Alliance at
(813) 276-2945.