While many parents are learning about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, one over-the-counter medication, used for treating coughs, is rapidly becoming a favorite in middle school and high school for getting high.

Ever find any empty bottles of cough syrup in your teen’s room?

DXM Addiction

What about empty blister packs of Coricidin® or Triaminic®?

The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia warns that this is a clear indication that your teen is “robotripping‘.

What in the world is ‘robotripping“?

“Robotripping” is drinking a bottle of cough syrup at once or popping hands full of cough suppressant pills. Why on earth would they do that? Because they get high.

Cough medicine- to get high? Yes. High. Some temporarily lose their ability to walk. Some have written stories on the Internet: “I felt my soul being ripped from my body,” and, “Are you a vampire? No, I just met God.”

More than 125 commercial cough remedies in the United States contain the synthetic drug dextromethorphan (DXM). This drug is similar to morphine, and when used as directed, can effectively help one with a cold. But abused, as 1 in 10 teens admit to doing, is a central nervous system depressant.

Mary Rieser, Director of The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia, states, “DXM can be very dangerous if abused, especially if mixed with other drugs. It is used by many teens in the danceclub or ‘rave’ scene. If taken frequently, it is addictive, and many of our callers stated that once addicted, they had a hard time walking by the medicine counters in grocery stores, the cravings for it are so great.’

Poison control experts point to a four-fold increase in abuse cases since 2000, known as “robo-dosing” or “robo-tripping” or taking , sometimes called “skittles” (because of an appearance similar to the popular fruit candy).

The DEA is monitoring abuse of DXM, and the drug could be added to the Controlled Substances Act if warranted. as thousands of emergency room doctors have reported overdoses on DXM.

“Drug addiction can occur with many prescription and over the counter medications,” continues Ms. Rieser. “Keep track of medications, stored in the medicine cabinet, and monitor your child’s behavior. DXM drug addiction can occur at any age, regardless of background or education level. Talk to your children about drug abuse, not just illegal street drugs, but also prescription drugs and over the counter drugs. Monitor your child’s internet use, as many sites even tell you how much DXM to take according to your weight. Don’t let someone get drug addicted.”

Important Links

Cough medicine, found in drug stores or supermarkets, is helpful in the upcoming flu season. However, what many people don’t realize is that many cough medicines contain DXM.

Dextromethorphan, or “DXM” is an ingredient found in many over-the-counter cold medicines. However, DXM can produce a high similar to LSD. When taken in excess, it produces hallucinations, “out of body states”, dizziness, and vivid dreams. It is found in over 140 over-the-counter medications, Coricidin being the most popular. Any product that says “DM” or “Tuss” on the label may contain DXM.

DXM Addiction

One lady was very worried. “I am 36 years old, have a nice family, great children,” she stated. “I started taking Coricidin for a cold, and haven’t stopped. I am worried because I get actual cravings for it. I shake when I pass the medicine aisle in the grocery store. I can stop myself from taking it for a while, then I just give in.”

The Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab in Georgia receives many calls from people seeking help for substance abuse. But the number of calls received after a warning issued by Atlanta Recovery Center Drug Rehab on over-the-counter cold medicine was shocking.

“I was in charge of training 1,000 recruits,” stated another caller. “I was in the military and the amount of Coricidin abuse I saw was appalling. Trash cans are filled with empty Coricidin packets. The pharmacies in our area are always out of Coricidin and other cold relief products.  The problem is that it is not an illegal drug, and won’t show up on any drug tests. The recruits ‘robotrip’ on Coricidin and don’t get caught.”

He went on to state that DXM is highly addictive and his wife, who was also in the military, had to go to drug rehab for her DXM addiction. “I want to help raise awareness of the damage DXM can cause,” he stated. “It is a very dangerous drug, and not enough attention or education is being given to its abuse, especially in the military.”

An overdose of DXM produces a drug high. It can also produce a variety of health problems:
-rapid heart beat
-lethargy
-high blood pressure
-kidney damage
-liver damage
-seizures
-death.

Emergency room personnel are very familiar with DXM overdoses, as waves of young people who are overdosing on it are admitted to local hospitals. “We see this all the time,” stated one ERT member responding to a call after finding out that the addict had overdosed on cough medicine.  Estimates are that over two million teens in the United States have abused DXM products to get high. Often, these teens are finding information about DXM on the internet.

For more information on drug addiction rehabilitation or drug education, call The Atlanta Recovery Center of Georgia at 1-877-236-3981.

DXM Over The Counter

Be careful. That over-the-counter cold medicine you have in your medicine cabinet may have some Dextromethorphan (DXM) in it and DXM can make a person high. You may not know about DXM, but most drug abusers do, so check your medicine cabinet.

The Atlanta Recovery Center warns that DXM can produce a high similar to LSD; including hallucinations, vivid dreams, loss of motor control and “out of body” states.

This high is described as “robo tripping” by DXM users. It takes an overdose of DXM to produce a drug high and this overdose can also cause health problems like rapid heart beat, lethargy, high blood pressure, kidney damage, liver damage seizures and even death.

This drug is easy to get and emergency rooms are reporting waves of young people who are overdosing on it. Estimates are that over two million teens in the United States have abused DXM products to get high. Often, these teens are finding information about DXM on the internet.

“At The Atlanta recovery Center,” comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director, “we have first hand accounts from clients who abused this drug in the past. One reported that Coricidin (the most popular drug containing DXM) seemed to leap into his pocket when he was in the drug store. Another told a staff member that he has never quite returned to normal after his extensive abuse of the drug. The theft of drugs containing DXM is at an all time high.”

It is sometimes difficult to tell if someone is abusing an over-the-counter medication containing DXM. Be alert if the person is acting stoned but there is no tell-tale smell. This is a key sign. Other symptoms are:

• Dilated pupils
• Confusion
• Slurred Speech
• Dizziness
• Loss of coordination

While Coricidin is the most popular of the abused over-the-counter-medications, DXM is found in over 140 products. Look for those products that say “DM” or “Tuss”.

Don’t leave it to law enforcement to solve this problem. Drugs with DXM can be bought and consumed in large amounts without any laws being broken. Be alert for theft when you are in a drug store with an abuser or if you work in a retail facility that sells cold medication.

The best defense against this drug is education. The dangers are real and probably unknown to any would-be- user. This is one of the most dangerous ways to get high and unfortunately the most available. Anyone about to take this stuff for fun needs to know it could kill them.