Dextromethorphan Abuse
Dextromethorphan, or “DXM,” is a synthetically produced cough medicine that has some similarities to codeine, although DXM is not an opiate. It’s been popularly used since the 1950s as a cough suppressant but there have been growing reports of abuse of the drug to the DEA. While the medicine can be purchased at most pharmacies and convenience stores in liquid or tablet form, powdered DXM can be bought online as a research chemical.
DXM abuse isn’t a new trend and it has developed its own following. Often referred to as the “poor man’s PCP,” intoxication is described as having four different “plateaus” or levels of being high.
The First Plateau
The first plateau of DXM intoxication occurs at a dosage between 100-200mg and is characterized by a euphoric high accompanied by some additional restlessness.
The Second Plateau
The second plateau occurs between 200-400mg and is characterized by exaggerated visual and auditory sensations, closed-eye visual hallucinations, and equilibrium issues.
The Third Plateau
The third plateau of DXM intoxication occurs between 500 and 1000mg. This state is characterized by visual and auditory disturbances, altered consciousness, panic, mania, and disassociation.
The Fourth Plateau
The fourth plateau occurs from doses greater than 1000mg. This state is characterized by hallucinations, delusions, ataxia, and complete disassociation.
These different levels of being intoxicated on DXM get progressively more intense and can have fatal consequences not necessarily by the drug itself but due to the behavior of the person who is intoxicated. This drug, like other hallucinogens, can have some devastating side effects that can be irreversible. Just like any drug of abuse, using high doses of DXM can be dangerous resulting in various side effects such as:
- Overexcitability/Nervousness
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Insomnia
- Slurred speech
- Disorientation
- Delusions
- Sweating
- High blood pressure
- Difficult breathing
- Seizures
- Coma
- Liver damage
- Brain damage
- Addiction
- Death
Reports of DXM overdoses are rare, but there have been instances of overdose when mixed with other substances. Any drug in a low dose can act as a stimulant, while a bigger dose acts as a depressant, and too much has the potential to kill you. As with any drugs, mixing them can have dangerous and even fatal results. In our current crisis, most fatal overdoses are attributed to a combination of 2 or more drugs. It’s not often that a single drug by itself causes a deadly over-intoxication. It’s usually a few substances mixed together, each making the effects of the other stronger. Overdose is a huge problem in our society right now and the danger isn’t limited to only those who use opioids. Fentanyl has found its way into other drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. No matter who or what a person is, no one is safe from the devastating effects of the synthetic opioid.
The drug DXM is in over a hundred different over-the-counter cough suppressants. Some of the most commonly abused cough medications are Coricidin, Robitussin, Diabetuss, Dexalone, Zicam Cough MAX, Babee Cof, and Benylin.
Street names
Some common street names for DXM are:
- Robo
- Skittles
- Triple C
- Tuss
- Tussin
- Dex
- Poor Man’s PCP
- CCC
- Triple C
Many users of DXM are generally teenagers and college kids experimenting with different drugs. It’s not a main drug of choice for most drug users, but it does lend itself as a cheap alternative to LSD and other hallucinogenic substances. Since the drug is technically legal, it’s easily obtained at most drug stores with no age restriction whatsoever. To kill time on a Saturday night, teens will each buy a bottle of Robitussin, drink the whole bottle, and have a weird trip for a few hours. Even though “robotripping” isn’t often the main drug of choice, most addicts have tried this at one point in time or another. It’s one of those rites of passage as a drug user. While some people claim to enjoy the effects of DXM, most users hate the feeling of the drug, saying it’s a “dirty” high that doesn’t feel very good and that’s also followed by insomnia.
Because drugs containing DXM are not prescription medications, those taking the drug feel like it’s “safe.” This is simply not true. Any drug taken in too great a quantity is harmful to the human body. This means that even if you don’t have to go through a doctor to get it, it can still be addictive and very harmful. Just because something is legal, doesn’t mean it can’t harm you. To put it into perspective, OxyContin is technically legal, and the amount of people hurt by this drug is astronomical. Legal drugs like oxycodone and hydrocodone have played a massive role in our current drug crisis. Legal drugs have kicked off what’s being considered the worst man-made health crisis ever in history. We’re at a point where we simply can’t trust something just because it’s considered legal. Just because the FDA has approved it, don’t think it doesn’t have the potential to hurt you.
Fewer people these days are abusing DXM, but it does have a sort of following by a small group who swear by its strange, hallucinogenic effects. The drug can be ordered in powder form on the internet and shipped virtually anywhere. All you need is an internet connection and a credit card to order some of the world’s strongest drugs. As the crackdown on mail-order fentanyl continues, other drugs coming from shady labs in China are under heavy scrutiny by the United States government. Right now, we’re in one of the biggest drug fights that have ever existed and now, more than ever, it’s important to not only get educated on drugs and addiction but to choose effective treatment to handle those who have already fallen victim to substance abuse issues.
While it might seem like an uphill battle, it can be won and it all starts with us.
If you or someone you know is addicted to over-the-counter cough suppressants or cough medications, contact us today. Our program is specifically designed to get people off of drugs safely and effectively.
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