Cough Medicine Abuse Rising as "Tweens" and Teens Look for Cheap New Ways to Get High

San Antonio, Texas (PRWeb) January 26, 2007 -- Cough medicine is
quickly becoming a drug of choice among teenagers and pre-teenagers
are looking for a quick, cheap, and hard-to-detect high.

Since most cough medicine can be bought over-the-counter, it's easily
accessible to young people, and most parents are generally unaware
that cough medicine, taken in quantity, can produce a "buzz" that appeals
to kids looking to get high.

Such cough medicine abuse is called "robo-tripping" because Robitussin
cough medicine is the cough medicine many kids choose.

Cough medicine abusers often go to extraordinary lengths to get the
cough medicine they want, according to police. Some drug store chains
have noticed an increase in shoplifting of cough medicines, although
sometimes the bottles of cough medicine themselves never leave the store.

The Wilmington Star newspaper recently reported that just before Christmas,
a man walked into a drug store, grabbed three bottles of different types of
cough medicine, took them into a restroom, and drank them all.

Many such incidents are never reported.

And unfortunately, many parents who have never heard of "robo-tripping"
and are completely unaware of the dangers of cough medicine abuse.

When used in compliance with label directions, cough medicine produces
few side effects. But when large doses of cough medicine are taken, a
number of dangerous side effects can result, including confusion, dizziness,
blurred vision, slurred speech, loss of physical coordination, abdominal pain,
rapid heartbeat, drowsiness and nausea.

These cough medicine side effects can be especially dangerous when teen
drivers get behind the wheel.

A recent study by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America shows that one out
of 10 teenagers from across the country--or about two million--used cough
medicine to get high in 2005.

Abuse of cough medicine and other over-the-counter medications has
increased tenfold among teenagers since 1999, according to a study by the
California Poison Control System.