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  3. Commonly Misused Over-the-Counter Meds

Commonly Misused Over-the-Counter Meds

Last Updated: Friday March 24, 2023


cough syrup

Are you concerned about someone in your household misusing your over-the-counter medication? If so, the ingredients in cough medicine and the anti-diarrheal lopermide should probably be on your radar.

DXM

According to the 2022 Monitoring the Future study, a little bit over three percent of the young people surveyed (eighth, 10th and 12th graders combined) admitted to using cough medicine to get high within the past year.

DXM (dextromethorphan) is a cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cough medications. When misused, it can serve as a depressant and hallucinogenic. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse:

"DXM may be swallowed in its original form or may be mixed with soda for flavor, called 'robo-tripping' or 'skittling.' Users sometimes inject it. These medicines are often misused in combination with other drugs, such as alcohol and marijuana."

Other slang terms for DXM include Dex, Robo, Syrup, Tripple-C, and Tussin. 

StopMedincineAbuse.org has a list of a few of the common OTC products that contain DXM.

The site also features a “Prevention Teen Cough Medicine Abuse” brochure to help parents learn more about how the medicine is abused. 

 

Loperamide

People who misuse loperamide (a medicine used to treat diarrhea) will swallow large amounts of the drug. When misused or combined with other substances, it can cause stomach pain, constipation, and more.

Users can become addicted to and overdose on products containing DXM and loperamide. People who overdose often experience a slowness of breathing or their breathing will stop altogether.

 

For more information about over-the-counter medication misuse, check out:

“Over-the-Counter Medicines”  (NIDA)

StopMedicineAbuse.org 

Know Your OTCs

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