The words "teen drug abuse" usually bring up images of illegal substances like cocaine and methamphetamine. Teenagers do abuse illicit drugs, but many are turning to readily available over-the-counter, or OTC, medications. They are easy to get because they are available at pharmacies and in many home medicine cabinets. They provide a quick high, but they can be very dangerous when not used for their intended purpose.
Scope
OTC drug abuse by teens is very common. A 2005 study by the Partnership for a Drug Free America discovered that 10 percent of teens have used cough medicine to get high, and 50 percent of the overall teenage population does not believe this practice is dangerous. Abuse of OTC medication, when combined with teen prescription drug abuse, is on a par with use of drugs like Ecstasy, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin, according to the same study.
Types
OTC medications that alter mood, like cough syrups with dextromethorphan, or DXM, as the active ingredient, are the most commonly abused types, according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America. Some teens, particularly girls, abuse laxatives and diet pills in an effort to lose weight.
Effects
Cough syrups containing DXM are very dangerous when abused. Above the Influence explains that cases of DXM poisoning rose sevenfold between 1999 and 2004. Most involved teenagers who were abusing cough syrups. DXM produces a high, but it also causes confusion, dizziness, disorientation, blurred vision, fast heartbeat, nausea and vomiting. Some users have hallucinations or feel like they have left their bodies. Cough syrups often contain acetaminophen, too, which can damage the liver.
Teen Health FX, a site run by Morristown Memorial Hospital in New Jersey, advises that laxative abuse can cause chronic diarrhea, stomach pain, dehydration, nausea, vomiting and gas. Eventually it can lead to an electrolyte imbalance, heart problems, irritable bowel syndrome, intestinal paralysis, kidney failure and pancreatitis. Laxative and diet pill abuse is often a sign of an eating disorder.
Prevention
Parents of teenagers should avoid keeping commonly abused OTC drugs such as cough syrup or laxatives around the house. Throw away any leftover medication once the illness has been treated, or monitor the number of pills or amount of liquid in the bottle.
Considerations
Teenagers who abuse OTC drugs often do the same with prescription medications. The 2005 Partnership for a Drug Free America study showed that most teens believe prescription drugs are safer than illegal substances, even if the medication was prescribed for someone else.
