39 minutes ago Add Local - KMBC TheKansasCityChannel
KMBC's Jeremy Hubbard uncovered a new drug craze that could turn deadly.
The drug, which is ostensibly legal, is made from a plant available at many area nurseries. When distilled, toxins in the plant's leaves can cause hallucinations that last for hours or days.
Last month, someone twice stole the plant -- called the Angel Trumpet, Datura or Jimsonweed -- from Johnson County Community College's botanical department. The plant has become such a hot commodity, local nurseries are getting calls from teens who ask how much the plant costs and how they can get one, Hubbard reported.
Jesse Rollwagon, a narcotics detective with the Overland Park Police Department, first took notice of the plant a few months ago.
"Basically, this is just a poison," he said. "It cooks your brains sometimes."
The plant is not smoked, but instead brewed into a tea that can have disastrous results.
Bobby Wainscott, a nurse at the Mid-America Poison Control Center, recently took a call from someone who had taken Angel Trumpet.
"By the time they got him to the hospital an hour later, he was already hallucinating," Wainscott said.
And the hallucinations can be hellish and last for hours or sometimes days, Hubbard reported. Those who take the drug are often left seriously ill, combative and uncontrollable. A German teenager who was reportedly high on the drug recently mutilated himself by cutting off his member and his tongue.
Wainscott said the poison center has taken about 20 calls about Angel Trumpet in the last few months.
Police believe curious kids have been doing research on the Internet and taking it without considering the dangers.
"Word of mouth gets around, gossip gets around. Unfortunately, they don't tell them 'Here's the danger here, here's the danger there,'" Rollwagon said.
Police warned parents to keep an eye out for the new -- and potentially deadly -- drug.
Office of Statewide Intelligence SAC Philip G. Ramer
SUMMARY
For years, over-the-counter cough syrup has been abused because of its active ingredient dextromethorphan (DXM), which causes a high that can be compared to that of LSD. This high often includes a heightened sense of awareness, altered time perception, and visual hallucinations. In recent years many pills sold as Ecstasy actually contained DXM.1
Now the over-the-counter cold and flu medicine Coricidin® is taking the place of cough syrup. Coricidin® is used to treat runny noses, sneezing, sinus headaches, watery eyes, fever, and mild aches and pains.2 It is mostly used by patients with high blood pressure, because, unlike most over-the-counter cold and flu medicines, Coricidin® does not contain decongestants, which can raise blood pressure.3 Side effects caused by Coricidin® can be as severe as red or brown grainy vomit; black stools; a ringing or buzzing in the ears; a fast or irregular heartbeat; severe headaches; and trouble breathing. Milder side effects include drowsiness; dry mouth, nose or throat; thickened mucus; stomach upset; headaches; and restlessness.4 Taking Coricidin® instead of cough syrup eliminates the nauseating experience that can accompany trying to swallow two to three bottles of Robitussin®. Coricidin® also contains more dextromethorphan (30 milligrams per pill) than most cough syrups (15 milligrams or less per teaspoon).5
Teenagers are the ones abusing Coricidin®. A study of 100 patients that were admitted to the hospital with problems related to the consumption of Coricidin® found that 65 of them has abusive intentions. All 65 of these patients were between the ages of 11 and 20. Over 75% of the patients with abusive intentions were between the ages of 13 and 16.6
Why are teenagers abusing Coricidin®? Because it is easy to get off the shelf at supermarketsand convenience stores, cheap at less than $6 a box, and, most importantly, legal. Parents won't get suspicious if they find a box of cold medicine in their child's room, and school officials won't kick a student out if they find it in their locker.
Calling it CCC, Robo, Red Devils, Poor Man's PCP, DXM, and Dex, they are taking 8 to 16 pills at a time.7 Abusing Coricidin® is extremely dangerous. An overdose can cause an accelerated heartbeat, high blood pressure, hallucinations, slurred speech, sedation, tremors, seizures, temporary blindness, dilated pupils, severe flushing, a coma, or even death.8
Parents and teachers must be aware of this dangerous situation and be constantly on the look out for Coricidin® abuse in teenagers.
psychomachia
184 Posts
From the Florida Department of Law Enforcement
James T. Moore, Commissioner
Coricidin Abuse
January 2, 2003
Office of Statewide Intelligence SAC Philip G. Ramer
SUMMARY
For years, over-the-counter cough syrup has been abused because of its active ingredient dextromethorphan (DXM), which causes a high that can be compared to that of LSD. This high often includes a heightened sense of awareness, altered time perception, and visual hallucinations. In recent years many pills sold as Ecstasy actually contained DXM.1
Now the over-the-counter cold and flu medicine Coricidin® is taking the place of cough syrup. Coricidin® is used to treat runny noses, sneezing, sinus headaches, watery eyes, fever, and mild aches and pains.2 It is mostly used by patients with high blood pressure, because, unlike most over-the-counter cold and flu medicines, Coricidin® does not contain decongestants, which can raise blood pressure.3 Side effects caused by Coricidin® can be as severe as red or brown grainy vomit; black stools; a ringing or buzzing in the ears; a fast or irregular heartbeat; severe headaches; and trouble breathing. Milder side effects include drowsiness; dry mouth, nose or throat; thickened mucus; stomach upset; headaches; and restlessness.4 Taking Coricidin® instead of cough syrup eliminates the nauseating experience that can accompany trying to swallow two to three bottles of Robitussin®. Coricidin® also contains more dextromethorphan (30 milligrams per pill) than most cough syrups (15 milligrams or less per teaspoon).5
Teenagers are the ones abusing Coricidin®. A study of 100 patients that were admitted to the hospital with problems related to the consumption of Coricidin® found that 65 of them has abusive intentions. All 65 of these patients were between the ages of 11 and 20. Over 75% of the patients with abusive intentions were between the ages of 13 and 16.6
Why are teenagers abusing Coricidin®? Because it is easy to get off the shelf at supermarketsand convenience stores, cheap at less than $6 a box, and, most importantly, legal. Parents won't get suspicious if they find a box of cold medicine in their child's room, and school officials won't kick a student out if they find it in their locker.
Calling it CCC, Robo, Red Devils, Poor Man's PCP, DXM, and Dex, they are taking 8 to 16 pills at a time.7 Abusing Coricidin® is extremely dangerous. An overdose can cause an accelerated heartbeat, high blood pressure, hallucinations, slurred speech, sedation, tremors, seizures, temporary blindness, dilated pupils, severe flushing, a coma, or even death.8
Parents and teachers must be aware of this dangerous situation and be constantly on the look out for Coricidin® abuse in teenagers.
Sources
1 http://www.ebasedprevention.org: "Coricidin® HBP™ for Cough and Cold: an alarming drug trend".
2 Yahoo! Health Drug Index: "Antihistamine/Analgesic Combinations (Oral)".
3 http://www.coricidinhbp.com: "Coricidin HBP Tablets".
4 Yahoo! Health Drug Index: "Antihistamine/Analgesic Combinations (Oral)".
5 The Beacon Journal: "Pills Latest Drug Buzz"; Wednesday, February 27, 2002.
6 1999 Annual Report of American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System.
7 Toxalert Poison Center: "Adolescent Dextromethorphan Abuse".
8 The Beacon Journal: "Pills Latest Drug Buzz"; Wednesday, February 27, 2002.