introduction

According to a recent Gallup poll, the use and temptation of drugs is the leading problem that American teenagers and young adults face. One in twelve Americans over the age of 12 admits that they currently use illicit drugs. According to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, one in five teenagers admits to using prescription drugs to get high, and one in ten teenagers admits to using over the counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines to get high. Nearly two-thirds of teens report that prescription pain relievers are easy to find at home, in the medicine cabinet. Healthy People 2010 shows that 30% of all deaths in the United States are premature because of psychoactive substances. The leading causes of death in Americans between the ages of 15 and 24 are accidents, suicides, and homicides…in many cases directly because of drug use. Almost all drug use begins in the teenage years where conflict, pressure, temptation, curiosity, and drug availability are all increasingly present. However, regardless of age, class, gender, or religion, all groups are susceptible to fall victim to the appeal and effects of psychoactive drugs.
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how does prescription drug addiction occur?

Narcotics, or painkillers, are drugs commonly prescribed to patients to alleviate intense pain and suffering. Morphine, an opiate, is one of the most commonly prescribed narcotics. However, opium is also present in the street drug heroin and creates hallucinogenic changes in mood and feeling. Natural pain remedies such as the coca leaf has a modern derivative in the street drug cocaine, which has become increasingly abused in the past 20 years. Cocaine acts as a central nervous system stimulant (creating “highs” because of nervous system overactivity) and as an appetite suppressant. It becomes easier to understand the addictive effects of prescription drugs when their relationship to illicit drugs is explained. Patients who take prescription drugs for pain and post-operative management sometimes find themselves addicted to the pleasant effects of the drug (mood change, increased sensation, alleviation of depression) and continue administration of the drug long after the intended result of the drug is achieved.
(Sanberg, Paul, Ph.D. and Michael Bunsey. "Prescription Narcotics: The Addictive Painkillers." Chelsea House Publishers: 1986.)

The goals of this blog are to:
.educate readers about the growing epidemic of prescription drug abuse
.explain the appeal, availability, and dangers of abuse, specifically among teens, and discuss treatment
.supply parents with prescription and OTC drug abuse warning signs and stress the importance of communicating with teens
.provide a variety of sources and information so readers can further their knowledge of this increasingly-present and often-overlooked form of substance abuse

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

the abuse and danger of dextromethorphan (DXM)

OTC cough and cold medicines contain dextromethorphan (DXM), an antitussive drug. When used according to the package instructions, DXM relieves cough. When used in excessive amounts, DXM acts as a hallucinogenic drug. It can produce image distortions, feelings of body dissociation, altered states of consciousness, and excitement. Due to the recent epidemic of purchasing the drug for recreational use, retailers have moved the medication behind the counter to prevent theft, monitor for excessive purchase, and ensure those purchasing the medication are over the age of 18. Parents are encouraged to look for these warning signs in their teenagers: changes in level of consciouness, hallucinations, loss of coordination, increased heart rate, and vision changes.


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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 24, 2009 at 3:36 PM

    I had heard of cough medicine abuse but didn't know the reason why... I had no idea that cough medicine overdose produces the same feeling as street drug abuse. It's a good thing pharmacies are keeping these meds behind the counter now. It's definitely a good thing to monitor these sales.

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  2. AnonymousMarch 24, 2009 at 3:37 PM

    Great post. Good information for parents!

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  3. AnonymousMarch 26, 2009 at 3:13 PM

    Parents definetely need to know this. A lot of parents tend medicate their children without knowing the consequences.

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  4. AnonymousMarch 26, 2009 at 4:04 PM

    Intersting, and ironically, timely post. I have a bottle of Delsym cough suppressant in my bathroom cabinet right now. Clearly and largely written on the side is a warning label: "PARENTS: Learn about teen medicine abuse www.StopMedicineAbuse.org." I see that you already have this website under "Links." This is the first of these warning signs that I have noticed. Its use should be more widespread to include narcotic prescriptions and more OTC medications.

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