Maybe you can believe it is coincidence, but check out the story:

"Millions of youths use cold meds to get high
Number who abused OTC medications similar to LSD use, officials say"

at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22577005/

Classic mind control technique "similar to LSD use" ? How so? oh - "numbers!"

You didn't think they would let you go that easily, did you?

Rick - I'm not sure I understand your implication - is it because of possible future control of DXM (that may have a promising theraputic effect on PD)?

I would have to see a lot more evidence before I could believe they are cooking up a reason to regulate it beyond the teen abuse reasons they are giving. I know it is only one person, but a friend and classmate of my daughter's, a girl whose family I have known since college, had her life almost destroyed by abusing over the counter cough medicine. She spent months in rehab, not to mention suffered tremendous humiliation as she was marched in handcuffs from the store across the street from the high school for shop lifting the stuff.

This kind of drug abuse has already effected the manufacturing and sale of Sudafed. Its only ingredient, pseudoephedrine, is used in making meth. So now you can still get it without a perscription, but must ask the pharmacist for it (and fill out a lengthy form disavowing any illegal use). Meanwhile, Sudafed has also been reformulated with a different (less effective, in my opinion) ingredient for sale on the shelves.

This seems to be an extreme reaction to me, as would any kind of similar regulation on DXM to avoid abuse. There are lots of dangerous materials sold openly and freely to everyone - like bleach and gasoline. It's impossible to protect ourselves so thoroughly.

But the outcry over abuse of DXM is real. If it is removed from easy access on grocery shelves it will be because of our typical American aversion and overreaction to recreational drug use/abuse, not because of a conspiracy to reap profits from potential PD patients.

but, as you say, there are dangers and teenagers seem drawn to them.

As for my suspicions, I'm a definite conspiracy theorist and know that little is as it seems when that much money is involved. I hope I'm wrong.

There could be truth all around. They recently reported that infants and small children should not be given cough syrup for fear of overdose. It is followed with this report about the dangers it presents to teens, with Carey knowing someone first hand. Then there are those adults who use it for off label things like PD......just kidding on the last one!! I think...

paula

...it was Steve that got me on the stuff.

Theese was not vedy dee nice Meester Reekee..

Steve - too funny!

Rick, Paula et al: I reread my post; I sounded confrontational and didn't mean to be so. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, so am skeptical that DXM would be removed from shelves in order to get a higher price from PD sufferers. (That hasn't happened to aspirin, which is used now to prevent heart attacks.)

Anyway, my apologies. I almost bought (not shop lifted) some DXM the other day, but I wanted to check first and find out the dosage you "white rats" are taking. Let me know!

Thanks!

Ha ha ha ha ha....................

carey, you weren't confrontational.

p

look at the structure of dextromorphan

http://www.directopedia.org/onTEAM/w...methorphan.png

it has many of the structural aspects of a "phenanthrene type opiod", in fact, it's "levo" isomer is indeed an opiod narcotic. It has been known to give you a "wierd" high since it was put in OTC cough medicines after the FDA judged it an" acceptable antitussive (cough suppressant), without an abusable narcotic effect, having low activity at opiod receptors"
Since the 60's, when "hycodan" (hydrocodone) cough syrup became popular, it's abuse has skyrocketed. Prior to that codeine was the best of the phenanthrene opiod cough suppressants because of it's relatively low abuse potential, and they get around it by further lowering it's "appeal" by putting other ingredients in these syrups that make for a "nasty" high if you take large amounts in an attempt to get a high from it.
Used as directed, DXM is pretty harmless, and you can read about descriptions of the DXM "high" in places like EROWID on the net. My take on it is that it will continue to be sold, perhaps OTC, because it is usually a "one time trial" for most people, since it is not a "nice high" and there are far "better" drugs of abuse on the illegal drug market.