Cough medicine is being abused? That’s right. The medicine found in our bathrooms across America is a quick and easy source of getting high for teenagers. It’s cheap, readily available, and easily explained. "I’ve got a cough, Mom. Can we get some more of that cough medicine?"

What mother is going to question that request from her son or daughter? Nurturing naturally takes over and the mother instinctively wants to protect her offspring. She may even ask what kind or brand her teen wants. Talk about enabling. But the mother, being none the wiser, doesn’t look at it like that.

It’s time to get the truth out to parents about cough medicine and what harm it can do when teens abuse it.

What’s So Bad About Cough Medicine?

The biggest obstacle to curbing teen abuse of cough medicine is the prevailing, and mistaken, opinion that because it’s sold over the counter, it must be safe. Compared to illicit drugs like cocaine or heroin, cough medicine is a far lesser evil, to be sure. But that doesn’t mean it is safe. In fact, medications containing dextromethorphan, or DXM, are far from safe.

In recommended doses, DXM is considered safe. But teens looking to get high are using anything but recommended doses. DXM can cause rapid heartbeat, liver damage, involuntary muscle movements, seizures and even death. Surveys have shown that teen misuse nationwide is widespread, with as many as one in 10 teens reporting current or past abuse of cough medicine.

Overdosing, while rare, does occur in some instances, usually when used in combination with other illicit substances.

Why is cough medicine abuse so bad for teens, in particular? Teens do not have the same ability to assess risk and consequence as adults. The reason for that is that the part of the brain that processes risk, the frontal cortex, isn’t fully developed until the child is well into his or her mid-twenties.

Common street names for dextromethorphan that you may hear your teens use include Dex, DXM, robo, Orange Crush, Skittles, Triple-C and Red Devils.

There are over 100 medications that contain DXM. These include: Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Cough Medicine, Coricidin-HBP Cough and Cold, Dimetapp DM, Mucinex-DM, PediCare cough medicines, Robitussin cough products, Sudafed cough products, Theraflu cough products (Novartis), Triaminic cough products, Tylenol Cough and Tylenol Cold products, Vicks 44 Cough Relief products, and certain Vicks DayQuil and NyQuil LiquiCaps. There are also a number of store brands that contain dextromethorphan as well.

Specific Cough Medicine Warnings

Looking at the websites for some of these popular OTC cough medicines, it’s easy enough for parents to become educated about the dangers of teen abuse.

Vicks

Vicks, the manufacturer of NyQuil, has a section on its website about the dangers of teenage drug abuse (http://www.vicks.com/products/safety-information/child-teen-safety/teenage-drug-abuse/). Along with a recommendation for parents to maintain a good child-parent relationship as a first step in preventing medicine abuse, Vicks also urges parents to:

• Monitor all OTC drugs in the house and keep track of exactly how much medicine is in each bottle.
• Avoid overstocking OTC medications in the house.
• Not allow their teens to keep OTC drugs in their bedroom, school locker, car or backpack.
• Monitor teens’ Internet usage to make sure the child isn’t visiting sites promoting OTC drug abuse. There are literally hundreds of web sites devoted to promoting the abuse of DXM, including instructions on how much to take for different types of highs.
• Act as a role model by responsible use of OTC drugs and all prescription medications.

Novartis

Novartis, the manufacturer of Theraflu cough products, lists these OTC cough medicines that contain dextromethorphan:

• Theraflu Daytime Severe Cold & Cough Hot Liquid
• Theraflu Cold & Cough Hot Liquid
• Theraflu Warming Relief Daytime Severe Cold & Cough
• Theraflu Daytime Warming Relief Multi-Symptom Cold Caplets
• Theraflu Nighttime Warming Relief Multi-Symptom Cold Caplets
• Theraflu Max-D Severe Cold & Flu

According to a study by the National Sleep Foundation, if you use a computer or smartphone right before bedtime it can lead to sleep loss. A recent article highlighted a case study done that revealed teenagers who spend lots of time engaged in texting and social media sites are more prone to also use alcohol, drugs and even get into fights.

One teenager interviewed for the article says when he has time to waste; he will probably use it to text. He claims to use his phone the most for sending quick responses while at work, texting and when he is bored, though he is not sure if he’s addicted or not.

Intel Labs along with the Helsinki Institute for Information Technology reported on a recent study that showed smartphones can also be habit-forming and that most U.S. and Finnish users check their phone constantly during the day and mostly spend less than half a minute each time. Checks are typically triggered by things such as checking the news when they are bored or checking emails during commutes. Others interviewed say their smartphones are boredom busters and while some typically use it as just a phone, it is also a good distraction while waiting for something.

Children are spending more than eight hours daily playing with these types of gadgets or they are watching TV because both parents are typically working. Over 2,500 children were surveyed in 10 major Indian cities such as Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai. The majority of children interviewed said they got less than 8 hours of sleep and were aged 10 to 18 years old. Researchers found that because the children lacked supervision by their parents, they tended to become technology-addicted in their free time.

New technologies that provide these types of social networking sites are keeping children engaged with their friends 24/7. Single-parent households were better off in terms of healthier technology habits. Households where both parents worked certainly had the disadvantage because the lack of supervision led to increased addictions with technological gadgets. The trend was highest in the metropolitan cities where both parents worked outside the home. With smart phones offering all the social networking sites available, the teenagers are excessively using them to constantly engage in conversations and chats with their friends making them more fatigued and restless.

This is a growing and disturbing trend among our teenagers and parents need to be more aware of how much time their children are using such devices and find a way to monitor it for the sake of their health.

Legal professionals struggle with addiction at double the rate of individuals in other professions. If you know a lawyer or judge – or have watched enough crime dramas on television – you can understand why.

Stress

The simple answer is the stress of the profession, according to Hon. Sarah L. Krauss, a New York City Civil Court and Kings County Family Court judge and chair of the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP).

“There is an enormous amount of stress that goes along with dealing with other people’s problems day after day,” says Judge Krauss. “People often cope with stress by using drugs or alcohol, which very often leads to addiction.”

Lawyers and judges typically work 80-plus hours per week with minimal breaks or vacations. Those long hours are driven by strict deadlines, heavy caseloads and growing competition for clients.

According to CoLAP, “Because many lawyers and judges are overachievers who carry an enormous workload, the tendency to ‘escape’ from daily problems through the use of drugs and alcohol is prevalent in the legal community.”

Vicarious Trauma

While many professions are under significant pressures, lawyers and judges are also subject to vicarious trauma, notes Judge Krauss. Also known as “secondary traumatic stress” or “compassion fatigue,” vicarious trauma has been defined as the “the stress resulting from helping or wanting to help a traumatized or suffering person.”

On a daily basis, legal professionals face the problems of their clients as if they were their own. In studies, attorneys have reported becoming over-extended and burnt out as a result of making themselves available to clients after hours and assisting them in many areas of their lives. Complicating matters, legal professionals have few healthy outlets of their own to express feelings and recharge, driving many to abuse drugs and alcohol.

Adversarial Nature of Legal Work

Hon. Robert L. Childers, a judge in the Circuit Court of Tennessee and long-time member and past chair of CoLAP, points to the adversarial nature of the legal profession as a major contributor to substance abuse and mental illness.

“Unlike other professions where members work together to find solutions, lawyers are constantly fighting each other,” he explains. “The heightened stress becomes a way of life for lawyers – one that rarely gets counterbalanced with time for self, family, exercise, spirituality or social support.”

Ethical Compromises

Whether fueled by a desire to win a big case, pressure from a client or a need to attract more business, some attorneys compromise their ethical principles and moral values over the course of their career. Stress turned inward, warns Judge Childers, often results in health problems, depression and addiction.

“In some ways, the legal profession has become more of a business and less of a profession,” says Judge Childers. “There are lawyers who cut corners and do things that are against normal ethical or moral standards. Then when the guilt and shame build up, they try to bury those feelings with drugs or alcohol.”

Help Is Available for Addicted Attorneys

Impaired legal professionals do not have to choose between their careers and their health. There are many ways to reach out for help. The best place to start, say Judges Childers and Krauss, is calling the state lawyer assistance program (or a volunteer program like Lawyers Helping Lawyers if your state does not have a LAP).

Almost every state offers a lawyer assistance program that can assist with interventions and refer an attorney or judge to an appropriate drug rehab program. LAPs are free and confidential, and are not tied to any disciplinary committee. While compliance with the LAP’s recommendations is voluntary, many lawyers and judges will agree to enter treatment when their career is on the line.

In addition to LAPs, impaired professionals and concerned colleagues can speak with an addictions counselor, attend a local Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous 12-Step meeting, or call an addiction treatment center. There are highly effective drug rehabilitation programs designed specifically for professionals that can assist with interventions, assessments, short- or long-term treatment, and monitoring and aftercare.

“If someone recognizes the signs of addiction in a lawyer or judge, they shouldn’t hesitate to reach out for help,” Judge Childers advises. “Over the course of my career, I’ve known countless professionals who have gone through treatment, saved their practices and earned back their licenses to become happier and more successful than ever.”

Alcohol is usually plentiful at holidays and parents are so distracted by dinner prep and houseguests that when combined with older siblings who have friends in college over, can be distracting. Catherine LeVasseur, a coordinator for drug and alcohol education in Madisun, says parents need to start thinking about how to talk with children about alcohol. She recommends a free guide from the governor that can be downloaded and is a partnership for parents to help bring alcohol awareness.

According to a recent article, it’s a tough time for college freshman because this is often the first time home since leaving for college and a chance to gather with old friends, said LeVasseur. She stresses that at this time of the year parents need to emphasize the laws of social hosting and the consequences that surround it.

LaVasseur reiterates the importance for both youth and parents to realize that it is illegal to allow minors to drink or be in possession of alcohol on their property and they can be charged. She adds that parents should talk to their kids about the serious nature of drinking illegally and set very understandable rules.

Plan ahead for Thanksgiving weekend activities including Wednesday evening and educate them about the laws. Know where your children are at all times and offer a safe alternative by hosting a party yourself where you can keep track of exactly what is going on.

LaVasseur says there are common misconceptions about alcohol and that allowing underage minors to drink is completely different than providing alcohol for them, which has always been a felony charge.

But can music itself get teens high? Some experts say yes. Known as sonic drugs, or i-dosing, some websites claim that listening to a specific type of sound can make someone feel high. Users choose from a menu of single drugs or “packs,” which range from a few dollars to almost $200. Sonic drug options include marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, hallucinogens and prescription drugs.

An i-dosing session consists of two slightly different static-like tones played in both ears at the same time. After a few minutes of i-dosing, users reportedly feel a high similar to recreational drugs, or at least some degree of light-headedness and mild euphoria. Thousands of users have posted videos online documenting their sonic drug experiences, most of which seem characterized by confusion.

Sonic drugs, or sound therapy, are purportedly effective in treating anxiety and boosting mental faculties, though skeptics question their effectiveness. Even if sonic drugs are not harmful or all that effective in getting teens the high they seek, a number of addiction experts raise a bigger concern: Teens who are curious enough to experiment with i-dosing are likely going to graduate to real drugs sooner or later.

Research shows that sonic drugs do have an effect on the brain, alternating between calming and exciting brain waves.  Although short- and long-term effects of sonic drugs aren’t fully understood, experts warn that anything that impacts children and teenagers’ developing brains could be dangerous.

As with all drugs, experts advise parents to speak with their children openly and frequently about the new drug dangers they may face in school and among their peers.  If a teen is tempted to try sonic drugs, it’s time to talk more seriously about all types of teen drug abuse and the associated risks.

If that’s the response you get from your teenagers when you try to enlighten them about the dangers of drug abuse, congratulations, you’re on the right track!

Sure, you hope your teen’s friends are good influences; you hope that their favorite songs and TV shows address difficult topics in appropriate ways; you trust your teen to learn from the mistakes of celebrities they idolize. But research shows that none of these influences are as powerful as an informed, involved parent.

Studies show that teens who learn about the risks of alcohol and other drugs from their parents are up to 50 percent less likely to use drugs than those who do not. Unfortunately, many teens know more about this generation’s problem drugs, namely prescription and over-the-counter medications, than their parents.

What You Can Do

As a parent, you hold the key to protecting your teen from prescription drug abuse:

• Talk and listen – start early, repeat often.
• Stay involved in your child’s day-to-day life, including school, friends and activities. Teens who report feeling loved and supported by their parents are less likely to use drugs and engage in other risky behaviors.
• Make your stance on drug use clear.
• Set high, but reasonable expectations of your child.
• Enforce limits.
• Encourage your teen to participate in sports and extracurricular activities.
• Nurture your teen’s relationships with positive mentors, including teachers, grandparents, coaches and religious leaders.
• Be a role model by refraining from illicit drug use and using alcohol and prescription medications responsibly.
• Get help if you or someone you care about has a drug problem.

Be Part of the Movement

The momentum on the topic of teen prescription drug abuse is building. Are you part of the movement?

More parents are aware of the dangers of prescription drug abuse and they’re sharing that knowledge with their teens. Now take the next step and educate others about this growing epidemic. Take the "I’ve locked the cabinet” pledge and encourage family and friends to protect our teenagers from the dangers lurking in our medicine cabinets.

In Detroit, teens are reportedly getting drunk on “boozy bears” – gummi bears, worms and other gelatin-packed creatures that look harmless to parents, teachers and law enforcement, but have soaked in vodka overnight. The candy absorbs the vodka, a colorless and relatively odorless favorite among teens, and can get teens drunk with just a few handfuls.

Officials are concerned about the trend, noting that:

• Teens can’t be sure of how much alcohol they’re consuming.
• Concerned adults have to taste the candy to determine whether it’s laced with alcohol, allowing this form of teen substance abuse to go largely undetected.
• Because the taste of alcohol is overshadowed by the sugary candy, teens may consume a large amount in a short period of time without realizing the full effect of the alcohol.
• Teens are finding information and how-to videos online (some with over 10,000 views), giving the problem an even broader reach.

Drunk gummy bears aren’t the only worrisome drug trend. Another growing teen drug problem, first reported in Idaho and Wyoming, is called Dragonfly (the street name for 4-ethyl-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine, or 2C-E). Also known as Europa, the drug is a synthetic hallucinogen that has similar effects as LSD, including mild hallucinations, increased body temperature and synesthesia (sight mingling with taste, sound and touch).

Dragonfly comes in powder form, often contained in unmarked blue or white capsules. The effects begin within an hour if taken orally and within minutes if snorted and last six to 12 hours.

Like bath salts and other synthetic drugs, the drug has not yet been regulated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and teens are purchasing it legally online. It has sent four teens to the emergency room so far this year.

Wherever you are in the country, it is likely that your teen has heard of Dragonfly and drunk gummi bears. Now that you know of the risks, it’s up to you to talk to your teen, make your rules and expectations clear, and offer your teen the support they need to avoid this new wave of teen drug abuse.

A new form of tobacco is in fashion, however. Kids are now playing cool with hookah smoking, in which a smoker uses a water pipe to deliver tobacco smoke to his lungs. A new study sought to explore the use of hookah among high school students and the attitudes that high school students have towards its use (Smith, et al., 2011).

The researchers recruited students from three high schools in the San Diego area, focusing on juniors and seniors. A total of 689 students were surveyed out of a potential total of 691 students.

The students were asked to complete a questionnaire that asked them about hookah use and cigarette use. They were also asked questions about the perceived danger of hookah, along with its social acceptability among their peers and the acceptability of chewing tobacco, cigars and cigarettes.

The researchers found that 83 percent of the students were familiar with the concept of a hookah or water pipe, even if they had only heard of the device. More than one-quarter of the students surveyed had tried smoking with a hookah and 10.9 percent reported that they had used a hookah in the past 30 days.

More than a quarter of the students (38 percent) said that they had tried smoking cigarettes and 11 percent reported having smoked cigarettes in the past month. Those who used hookah were significantly more likely to have tried cigarettes or to be smokers than those who had never used a hookah.

Nearly 60 percent of the students surveyed believed that hookah was more socially acceptable than other types of tobacco use, including cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco. Nearly half of the students thought that hookah was a safer choice than other forms of tobacco.

The authors report that there are limitations on the results, such as the use of self-report and a cross-sectional design. In addition, the study focuses on a limited geographical area and the results may not be generalizable for the general population.

The results of the study indicate that high school students are generally aware of hookah use and many have tried it. The popular belief that hookah is a safer form of tobacco use is troubling, because previous research has shown it to be a more dangerous form of tobacco use, delivering more smoke into the lungs than some other forms. The study’s findings may act as a springboard for more education in high schools about the dangers of hookah use.

A recent study conducted at the University of Santiago de Compostela provides new information about how students make these decisions while in college. The study reveals that students who use cannabis, alcohol or tobacco are more likely to engage in non-prescribed drug abuse. The Spanish researchers call the results evidence of multi-drug consumption.

Lead author Francisco Caamaño and researchers recruited 1,400 freshmen and asked them to complete an anonymous questionnaire, with a follow-up occurring two years later. The study’s results are published in the Journal of Public Health.

The questionnaire was divided into a measurement of alcohol use to determine whether any possible alcohol use disorder was evident, and another section that asked questions about socioeconomic aspects, in addition to gathering information about the individual’s expectations regarding alcohol and drug use. The team also utilized Spain’s National Health Survey to get information about prescribed and non-prescribed drug use.

The researchers found that there was a significant level of consumption of all types of medication, with particularly high levels of fever and pain treatment use in addition to stimulants, anti-anxiety drugs and sedatives. However, the results were in agreement with findings for that age range for the National Health Survey.

The findings also showed a connection between drug abuse and the abuse of cannabis, tobacco and alcohol, especially when the researchers examined the use of non-prescribed drugs. The authors note that students who use these substances have the highest rate of use for non-prescribed drugs. At the two-year follow-up, the trend is the same for those who continue to abuse cannabis.

The researchers also found that the student’s living conditions made a difference in their approach to drug use. The results showed that students who studied away from home, rather than attending a local college, consumed 35 percent more drugs than those who live with their parents.

The study provides important information about students’ drug and alcohol use at school. The findings reveal that students have a 37 percent chance of abusing alcohol, 30 percent chance of abusing tobacco and 20 percent chance of abusing cannabis. At the two-year follow-up, alcohol consumption increased to 53.4 percent.

The study’s findings are significant for parents who are considering whether their child is prepared to pursue a degree away from home. The results may lead to increased awareness and education for students who make plans to leave for college.