CORICIDIN BECOMING NEWEST DRUG OF CHOICE FOR TEENS

Drug counselors and court officials say abuse of an over-the-counter
cold medication is becoming more frequent among local teens, with
dangerous consequences.

Sullivan County Juvenile Court Judge Steven Jones said he has seen a
number of cases in the past year where teens are stealing the drug
Coricidin from local department stores and pharmacies.

Coricidin, used for common colds, contains a drug called DXM or
dextromethorphan. DXM was developed more than 30 years ago as a
replacement for codeine. Used in high doses, it can produce a
psychedelic effect, said Amy Horne, a drug abuse counselor with CCS
Adolescent Treatment Center in Sullivan Gardens.

Because it is cheap and easily attainable, Horne said the
over-the-counter medication is becoming a drug of choice among teens.

What's even more disturbing is that DXM is not detectable in normal
drug tests, she said.

"You can find DXM in cough syrups like Robitussin Extra Strength. But
you can't drink enough to get that high because it will make you sick.
That's why they are using the Coricidin pills," Horne said.

Jones said he began to research the drug after seeing a number of
teens in his courtroom charged with stealing the medication - eight
thefts from one department store alone in the past several weeks.

"What's happening is they feel that they can get a quick high from
doing this," Jones said. "There are stories all over the Internet
talking about how this is becoming so popular among teens. They think
that because it's over the counter it's OK. But when you take too much
of anything, you will have a reaction. That's why they have warning
labels. Normally what they are taking is eight pills. I had one that
took 16 and had a bad reaction - so much so he had to be
hospitalized."

Horne said Coricidin abuse can cause permanent brain damage, nausea,
dizziness, increased heart rate, pupil dilation or constriction, hot
and cold flashes, facial swelling, high blood pressure, increased body
temperature, panic attacks, psychotic episodes, impaired judgment,
depression and paranoia (most frequent with regular use).

Respiratory depression, violent behavior, memory impairment, weight
loss and damage to the liver, kidneys and pancreas can also occur.

In fact, one of Horne's patients has developed severe kidney problems
from abuse of the drug.

"There have been a large number of hospitals reporting injuries and
deaths nationwide," Horne said.

The drug is chemically related to opiates and is similar to the drug
ketamine, used in tranquilizing animals, Horne added.

CCS program manager Missy Glisson said the purpose of giving out
information about the drug is not to provide a roadmap for abuse, but
to warn parents about the dangers of something that may be in their
own medicine cabinet.

"These drugs can absolutely be just as dangerous as illegal drugs. ...
Just because it's over the counter doesn't mean that it is safe to use
in large quantity," Glisson said. "Look at Tylenol. It can be
extremely dangerous if taken in large quantities. People in this field
certainly don't want it promoted because we understand the dangers of
kids getting ahold of information. But from a parental standpoint,
parents need to be aware that kids are getting smarter and smarter all
the time."