The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

OTC - Over the Counter Medicines Drugstore medications can be dangerous! Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines like painkillers and cold medicines are generally safe when used as intended. But if your teen takes them in large doses to get high, they can be dangerous and even life-threatening. Many young people abuse cough medicines containing dextromethorphan, among other drugs. Get the facts on this disturbing trend. 1. The statistics are frightening: Government surveys show that 3.1 million people age 12 and older have misused OTC medications in their lifetime—with nearly 4 percent of misuse among those younger than 18. Nearly 6 percent of 10th graders and roughly 5 percent of high school seniors report abusing cough or cold medicines, particularly those containing dextromethorphan. 2. Dextromethorphan goes by many names: Pharmacists may call this medication DXM. ...

Do you suspect your teen is using drugs? Or it isn't your teen, it is their friends? Don't be a parent in denial, you aren't helping your child. Does it start with marijuana? Advance to pills? On to needles? There can be so many different paths your teen can take to the road to addiction, but the one path they need to realize is they don’t need to start to begin with.  Understanding the risks and dangers is the beginning of teaching prevention. October 31st through November 6th is National Drug Facts Week . This is an opportunity to shatter the myths about drug and substance abuse as well as become an educated parent and build a stronger drug-free community. What is ecstasy? “Ecstasy ” is a slang term for MDMA , short for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a name that’s nearly as long as the all-night parties where MDMA is often used. That’s why MDMA has been called a “club drug.” It has effects similar to those of other stimulants, and it often makes t...