The Legal High Hiding in Your Medicine Cabinet

Nowadays teens and drug users are more savvy than ever. The internet and social media allows them to interact and to share everything. One of the common topics of among many drug users is "legal highs". This refers to substances that are not illegal to buy but can be used as a recreational drug. Such substances are easy to obtain and may be found in any family's medicine cabinet. But just because they are technically legal and easy to obtain, does not mean that they do not contain substances that can incredibly dangerous and even deadly. One of the most popular legal highs that are currently trending in the cough medication Dextromethorphan. It is a cough suppressant commonly found in many cough and cold medications such as Robitussin, which is why it is often called Robo, and using it may be called Robotripping. It is a very serious substance abuse issue. Dextromethorphan, or DXM is a useful ingredient in many cold medications mixtures but it can also be sold in preparations that contain only DXM (along with flavoring, coloring and preservatives). While taking excessive quantities of DXM is dangerous, there is also an additional danger of the toxic effect of overdosing on the other medications that are often a part of cod and cough remedies. Users may enjoy the disconnected or disassociative feeling that Dextromethorphan provides but it also can impair judgement, cause respiratory issues and motor issues. These can lead to risky behaviors and deadly consequences. While DXM is legal and sold over the counter, it does NOT mean that it won't get users into legal trouble. Anyone who decides to take mass quantities of it and drive is actually driving while impaired and can be charged as such, especially if they are involved in an accident. Just because something is technically legal does not mean that it safe or wise to use.