Friday, March 12, 2010

B.C. pharmacies put cough medicine behind counters following a rash of teen overdoses

From the Vancouver Sun:
Some B.C. pharmacies are moving cough remedies containing Dextromethorphan — known as DM or DXM — behind the counter at the request of the College of Pharmacists of B.C. following a rash of intentional overdoses by teens.

In the last two weeks alone, four teenagers in the Victoria area have landed in treatment after overdosing.

DXM, a cough suppressant and pain reliever, is easily accessible at drugstores. Youth use it to get high by exceeding the recommended dose.

According to the College of Pharmacists, the prime recreational users of DXM are 14 to 15 — although there are reports that children as young as 10 also use the drug.

Signs will be placed on pharmacy shelves where cough remedies are kept directing purchasers to the dispensary for a consultation, college spokesman Marshall Moleschi said Wednesday. ...more

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