Cursed remedy: the hidden dangers in cough syrup
Jonathan Gonyea
Issue date: 3/19/04 Section: Feature
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Students across the United States are getting a high off drugs bought at CVS, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, and many other stores carrying over the counter drugs. Students initially take 2.5-7.5 mg/kg, often called the 2nd plateau. As they become immune to the drug and crave a better high, they take increasingly larger doses until they reach 20 mg/kg, at which point the drugs become toxic.
These drugs are legal, and many times the government is ignorant to their side effects. These drugs cause hallucinations and increased sensations that often rival that of acid while sharing many of the same effects as codeine and opium. These drugs are Robitussin, Nyquil, Coricidin, and Vicks 44. Why would the U.S. government allow these drugs on the street?
Normally used, these drugs do exactly what they prescribe to do, suppress coughs and help one sleep at night. Used in excess, these drugs cause a euphoric effect that becomes psychologically and physically addictive. In extreme excess, these drugs can cause brain damage or induce one into a coma.
The popular myth surrounding cough medicine is that it is the alcohol in the product that causes the high and thus any side effects would be similar to drunkenness. However, the actual cause is Dextromethorphan (DXM, Robo, Dex) or chloropheniramine maleate (CPM, Triple C).
These two ingredients are not similar to alcohol at all and are actually dissociate drugs, which in extreme use cause Olney's lesions, which are small holes in the brain. The longer one takes a drug the longer one wants to maintain the high and the longer one maintains a high the greater the risk of Olney's lesions. The difference continues in potency and effect on the brain. Several days of binge drinking equals 7.5-15 mg/kg of DXM or CPM. This is the target zone for most recreational users of these drugs. Therefore, a weekend or even a night of 'robo-tripping' could equal an entire week of binge drinking, causing as much, if not more, damage due to its nature of focusing on specific parts of the brain.
These drugs are legal, and many times the government is ignorant to their side effects. These drugs cause hallucinations and increased sensations that often rival that of acid while sharing many of the same effects as codeine and opium. These drugs are Robitussin, Nyquil, Coricidin, and Vicks 44. Why would the U.S. government allow these drugs on the street?
Normally used, these drugs do exactly what they prescribe to do, suppress coughs and help one sleep at night. Used in excess, these drugs cause a euphoric effect that becomes psychologically and physically addictive. In extreme excess, these drugs can cause brain damage or induce one into a coma.
The popular myth surrounding cough medicine is that it is the alcohol in the product that causes the high and thus any side effects would be similar to drunkenness. However, the actual cause is Dextromethorphan (DXM, Robo, Dex) or chloropheniramine maleate (CPM, Triple C).
These two ingredients are not similar to alcohol at all and are actually dissociate drugs, which in extreme use cause Olney's lesions, which are small holes in the brain. The longer one takes a drug the longer one wants to maintain the high and the longer one maintains a high the greater the risk of Olney's lesions. The difference continues in potency and effect on the brain. Several days of binge drinking equals 7.5-15 mg/kg of DXM or CPM. This is the target zone for most recreational users of these drugs. Therefore, a weekend or even a night of 'robo-tripping' could equal an entire week of binge drinking, causing as much, if not more, damage due to its nature of focusing on specific parts of the brain.