MONROE - Cold medicines can be dangerous.
Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley has warned parents to look for an increase in cold medicine containers and wrappers when their children don't have colds.
The reason is that cold medicines are used by kids to get high.
The effect of the drugs go by different names: Skittling, Robo-Tripping and the Poor Man's PCP.
"They are street names for the abuse of over-the-counter cold medicine," Kelley said.
Kelley said the police department has received complaints over the past few weeks of kids using cold medicines, the primary one being Coricidin. Robitussin also often is used.
Over-the-counter cold medicines contain cough suppressants, which if abused can cause euphoria and well as hallucinations. Kelley said the signs of someone who is abusing cold medication are hyper-excitability, high blood pressure, slurred speech and dizziness.
The cough suppressants usually are taken in liquid form, but Kelley said there has been an increased abuse in cold tablets and capsule medications.
"Taken in large amounts and improperly, these drugs can cause serious health problems or even death," Kelley said.
Kelley said parents need to educate their children about the dangers of drugs and suggested store employees can watch for large amounts of cold medicines being purchased. However, the drugs are not illegal.
Coricidin also has information about cold medicine abuse at its Web site, www.corcidin.com.
Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley has warned parents to look for an increase in cold medicine containers and wrappers when their children don't have colds.
The reason is that cold medicines are used by kids to get high.
The effect of the drugs go by different names: Skittling, Robo-Tripping and the Poor Man's PCP.
"They are street names for the abuse of over-the-counter cold medicine," Kelley said.
Kelley said the police department has received complaints over the past few weeks of kids using cold medicines, the primary one being Coricidin. Robitussin also often is used.
Over-the-counter cold medicines contain cough suppressants, which if abused can cause euphoria and well as hallucinations. Kelley said the signs of someone who is abusing cold medication are hyper-excitability, high blood pressure, slurred speech and dizziness.
The cough suppressants usually are taken in liquid form, but Kelley said there has been an increased abuse in cold tablets and capsule medications.
"Taken in large amounts and improperly, these drugs can cause serious health problems or even death," Kelley said.
Kelley said parents need to educate their children about the dangers of drugs and suggested store employees can watch for large amounts of cold medicines being purchased. However, the drugs are not illegal.
Coricidin also has information about cold medicine abuse at its Web site, www.corcidin.com.