At Narconon Suncoast, we encounter addiction to all sorts of drugs – as well as misunderstandings about addiction.  One common misunderstanding about addiction is that people abuse over-the-counter cough syrup for the alcohol content.  While cough medicines may have an alcohol content, those abusing the cough medicine actually do so to obtain a high from the drug.

You may ask, “Which drug?”

Over-the-counter cold and cough medications often contain a drug called Dextromethorphan (DXM).  This drug is sold in pharmacies, convenience stores, and grocery stores in syrup, gel, and tablet form.   DXM is also sold in powder form on the internet.  When sold in this form, it is particularly risky to use as the composition and strength is questionable.

Users often take DXM as a hallucinogen, but it can also simply make a user feel slowed down, dizzy, or exhausted.  Additional effects are:

• Over excitability/Nervousness
• Nausea/Vomiting
• Insomnia
• Slurred speech
• Disorientation
• Delusions
• Sweating
• High blood pressure
• Difficult breathing
• Seizures
• Coma
• Liver damage
• Brain damage
• Addiction
• Death

When mixed with other drugs, cough meds can cause problems within your central nervous system, as well as heart problems.  It is never a good idea to mix drugs and alcohol – and DXM mixed with alcohol is especially dangerous.  Mixing DXM with other drugs or alcohol has caused death.

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 for drugs that contain DXM are: Robo, Skittles, Triple C, Tuss, Tussin, Dex, Poor Man’s PCP, CCC, and Triple C.

Because drugs containing DXM are not prescription medications, those taking the drug feel like it’s “safe.”  Nothing could be further from the truth.  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 take a look at the side-effects above.

Our program is uniquely designed to get people off of drugs safely and effectively.   Narconon uses a series of techniques found nowhere else to help addicts overcome drug and alcohol dependencies and their damaging effects. This is done naturally—there are no substitute drugs in the Narconon program.  If you or someone you know is addicted to over-the-counter cough medications, contact us today at (877) 850-7355.

Refs: DXMStories.org, DrugFreeWorld.org, NBCNews.com, NLM.NIH.gov