Robotripping+8-503

Robotripping: A Legal High

**//__ DXM Abuse __//** Dextromethorphan Abuse or, “Robotripping" is when teenagers abuse the cough suppressant, dextromethorphan that is found in cough medicines such as Robitussin, Delsym, Nyquil and Theraflu. According to research from the National Institute of Drug Abuse and Drug Free America, children and teens from ages 9-17 abuse cough medicines with DXM in order to get high. In addition, according to a study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse about high school students, it was found that one of the top ten ways to get high was with DXM from over-the-counter cough medicines. Robotripping done by kids in these age ranges becomes very dangerous because it is more likely to spread to other kids due to peer pressure. One student's risky actions can cause a domino effect for many other students. Causes such as stress, school, and peer pressure contribute to robotripping. Many effects of DXM abuse exist, all of them negative. Dizziness, impaired judgment, light sensitivity, and other similar symptoms can result in vomiting, cardiac arrest, muscle spasms, delirium, and even death. In Rochester, NY, a man high on DXM got into a traffic accident that injured two people. There were no immediate charges because there were no prohibitions or laws against DXM Abuse. The man wasn’t even charged with a D.U.I. because it wasn’t alcohol abuse. This problem is widespread throughout United States. Five cases of death were reported in 2005 due to robotripping. This isn’t like marijuana and other illegal drugs which are hard to obtain. These drugs are already in the homes of these teenagers. If marijuana abuse, a federal issue, is out of hand even though it is difficult to obtain, imagine what will happen to the abuse of DXM over the course of the next few years. The problem should be dealt with just like marijuana. The government should be held accountable for this problem and should do something to resolve it. Dextromethorphan is included in many over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, which don’t require a prescription and therefore can be picked up by almost anyone. According to an article in the September 2008 __Utah Stories__ on DXM Abuse, 63% of teens that obtained medicine to get high got it from their own medicine cabinets, or a nearby store. Everyone is told to take responsibility for his or her actions. So who should take responsibility for the growing issue of robotripping? Teenagers who abuse the legal drug should take responsibility by making wiser decisions. The government also should take responsibility for the growth in DXM abuse and should help suppress it. Drug Free America estimated that 1 in 10 teenagers got high on cough medicine in 2005. There are policies such as the Dextromethorphan Distribution Act of 2009 that are in affect but has minimum affect on the public. Also there are policies such as the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 that hesitate to include the abuse of dextromethorphan. There aren’t many differing opinions. Teenagers believe that the abuse of dextromethorphan is ok because cough medications are legal. Even the Food and Drug Administration hasn’t done much to resolve this issue. People are focused on other drugs such as marijuana and cocaine. Those who have heard about this issue may be ignorant in thinking it isn’t too serious, or that it’ll die down. DXM abuse seriously needs to be stopped before the knowledge of its capabilities spreads any further than it already has. If this problem was more aware of, then people would try to stop this issue but again they’re too focused on the big drugs. As you can see, robotripping is a serious issue that needs to be stopped. The government is starting to recognize the problem though but needs to take action quickly.

** Sources: **

"DXM-Can It Kill You?" DXM (Dextromethorphan) - Make Up Your Own Mind. Web 26 Jan. 2011. < [] >.

"Robo Tripping Case: Flaws in the Laws - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com." //Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com//. Web. 02 Mar. 2011. < [] >

"Robotripping: You Boys Wanna Get High on Cough Medicine? - CollegeTimes™." //CollegeTimes// // - College Blog, Reviews, Humor, Forum, and More! // Web. 26 Jan.2011. < [] >.

"See the Effects." //DXM (Dextromethorphan) - Make Up Your Own Mind//. Web. 07 Feb. 2011. < [] >.

Sullum, Jacob. "Tripping Over Robo-Tripping - Hit & Run." //Reason Magazine//. 2 Sept. 2010. Web. 14 Feb. 2011. < [] >.

"Teen Drug Abuse – The Dangers of Cough Medicine Abuse – Robo-Tripping." //Addiction// // Treatment //. Web. 07 Feb. 2011. < [] >. "Why Kids Robo-Trip." //Utah Stories//. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. < [] >

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**// Alternate Policies //** DXM abuse or “robotripping” is a growing issue and the FDA has succeeded in recognizing the growing problem. DXM abuse is when teenagers get high on an ingredient commonly found in many brands of cough medicine such as NyQuil or Robitussin. Many individuals believe there should be policies to stop the growth of robotripping populations among teenagers and kids throughout the country. As for now, there aren't many policies that are made official. No one in surveys we conducted was able to identify a single policy. In 2010, the FDA committee introduced a policy against robotripping. It wasn’t an official creation of the policy but they discussed it. One idea they considered was requiring a prescription for cough medicines such as NyQuil. The advantage of this would be that teenagers could not legally purchase cough medicine at the pharmacy anymore. They would need a prescription from their doctor. A disadvantage to this would be that if someone was sick and needed cough medicine right away, it would take a while to get it. You would need to go to the doctor, be checked, go to the pharmacy, and then get it legally. That proposal may anger many parents and their sick children. Another proposal by the FDA was to sell cough medicines ONLY at pharmacies. The drug would be kept behind the counter. This has some advantages that include limiting the abuse of DXM. It would also be easier to find a specific brand of cough medicine if it is needed. The disadvantage to this is some people don’t live very close to drug stores or pharmacies. This may create a problem if they are ever sick and need the cough medicine. The third proposal by the FDA was banning the sale of cough medicines to teenagers. One would have to be an adult to buy the medicine. They would need to show I.D. An advantage is that this would also limit DXM abuse. But a disadvantage would be that teenagers might try to steal the medicine from the store. Also, that medicine can still be found in medicine cabinets inside of their homes. The FDA is thinking of the public by introducing a policy for this abuse. Advantages and disadvantages of these policies have lawmakers debating about whether these policies should become laws or not. The policy doesn’t have many supporters because it isn’t commonly known. The Partnership for a Drug Free America does support the control and limitation of cough medicines. According to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA,) the DXM Abuse Reduction Act was introduced in the 111th congress in 2009 by foundations such as the Partnership for Drug Free America, the Food Marketing Institute, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, and the CHPA. This act proposed sale restrictions to prohibit the sales of DXM to minors, which would decrease the abuse of DXM upon thousands of people. Though this policy was introduced in 2009, according to an article by CNN, the limit on the sale of cough medicines was also introduced in 2007. It stated that the issue was very important compared to all the other drugs being abused. An advantage of this policy is that it would limit the abuse of DXM among minors, like the policy proposed by the FDA. Another policy was an act introduced by the CHPA in 2009. It was named the Dextromethorphan Distribution Act, and the U.S. House of Representatives passed this act. DXM abusers abuse DXM in its raw form, which is most dangerous. This act ensured that only agencies/ people associated with the FDA such as scientists, researchers, and manufacturers could purchase this form of DXM. Some advantages are that this would not only limit the use of this pure from among teenagers, but all people young and old. DXM abuse was forgotten about until a few years ago when the idea was reintroduced. Introducing and confirming policies faster would decrease DXM abuse and one day cause it to stop.

Works Cited

Huang, Alan, Maheen Jillani, David Ko, and. "Robotripping Survey." Web. 10 Feb. 2011.

"Robo Tripping Case: Flaws in the Laws - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events 13WHAM.com." Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com. Web. 02 Mar. 2011. < [|__http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/Robo-Tripping-Case-Flaws-in-the-Laws/NH6nMTsfnUuSpw8hzJyMZw.cspx__] >

Sullum, Jacob. "Tripping Over Robo-Tripping - Hit & Run." Reason Magazine. 2 Sept. 2010. Web. 14 Feb. 2011. < [|__http://reason.com/blog/2010/09/02/tripping-over-robo-tripping__] >.

"Why Kids Robo-Trip." Utah Stories. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. < [|__http://www.utahstories.com/drug_abuse_utah.htm__] >.

Willingham, Val. "FDA Panel: Cough and Cold Meds Should Remain over the Counter – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs." The Chart - CNN.com Blogs. 14 Sept. 2010. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. < [|__http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/14/fda-panel-cough-and-cold-meds-should-remain-over-the-counter/?iref=allsearch__] >.

** Our Policy to Combat Dextromethorphan Abuse ** Dextromethorphan Abuse is a popular way to get high amongst teens ages 9-17. Some of the effects from DXM abuse are dizziness, light sensitivity, muscle spasms, and even death. Our policy is in an attempt to prevent this problem as much as possible and limit casualties. We think that the best way to deal with this problem is to make cough medications containing the cough suppressant dextromethorphan prescription drugs and also limit the purchase of the drug to people over the age of 18. There are advantages to this policy such as the requirement of consulting with a doctor and getting a prescription for cough medicine. Currently, cough medication doesn't require a prescription to obtain it hence being an over-the-counter drug (OTC). With inclusion of a prescription in order to obtain the drug, it will prohibit teens from just purchasing a bottle of cough medicine off the counter from their local store. Without a prescription the drug is less available and a person is required to be checked for health issues by a doctor. The second part of our policy deals with the age issue of DXM Abuse. Our policy allows only people age 18 and up to purchase cough medication with DXM, thus, requiring ID from customers. There are some disadvantages to our policy such as the purchase of cough medication for emergency purposes, health costs, the abuse of cough medication containing DXM that are already in homes, and the possibility for an increase in robbery. Purchasing cough medication for emergency purposes would be a disadvantage to our policy because if someone is in dire need of cough medication, they would have to go through the entire process of getting checked by the doctor for a prescription and going to a pharmacy that may be far away. However, not all cough medication contains DXM, so those can be purchased without interference from our policy. In addition, cough medications treat not only coughs but chest congestion, headache, and other symptoms. Purchasing medication for only a specific illness can also bypass visiting the doctor for a prescription for cough medication. The health costs for seeing a doctor is another disadvantage of our policy because not everyone can afford to see a doctor and not everyone can afford health insurance. The average cost for seeing a doctor for a checkup can range anywhere from $150-500 without health insurance. According to a 2010 article from ABC News, approximately 57% of America couldn't find health assurance they could afford. Another disadvantage of our policy is now that cough medication is out of grasp from teens under 18 it may invoke them to steal cough medication from pharmacies. Robbery by these teens may drive crime rates up. Another disadvantage to our proposed policy is that cough medication containing DXM is already in many homes. Teens could abuse the medication straight from there now that they have been restricted. Cough medication they abuse at home may be the one prescribed to their parents or older siblings. Our policy cannot control this factor because it is impossible to surveillance every teen in the nation, but we can make parents aware. The level of government that is responsible for carrying out our proposed policy would be each state’s government. This is because the state government is responsible for making a law and enforcing it and our policy requires cough medications containing the ingredient, dextromethorphan to be placed behind counters. The state government is only stopping the sale of cough medication to teens that are under 18. It is impossible to stop every single teen from DXM abuse just like how it's impossible to stop every person from abusing marijuana, but it will be a step of improvement if we first stop the sale of cough medication to teens that aren't mature enough to handle its contents. Our proposed policy does not violate the U.S. Constitution or our State Constitution. It does not take away a person's life, liberty, or property without a fair hearing in a court of law. Our policy does not invade the privacy of a person's home and also does not make laws that unreasonably or unfairly discriminate against people based on race, religion, age, ethnic group, or gender. Our policy does not interfere with a person's freedom of belief, speech, or press. It does not have restrictions on what a person should or should not believe about their religion or our policy and it does not restrict what a person is able to say about our policy whether good or bad. In addition a person can write whatever they want regarding our policy because we have no restriction against that either.

** Sources: **

"Dextromethorphan Abuse in Adolescence." National Center for Biotechnology Information. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. .

"Millions in U.S. Can't Afford Health Insurance - ABC News." ABCNews.com: Breaking News, Politics, World News, Good Morning America, Exclusive Interviews - ABC News. Web. 24 Mar. 2011.

"State & Local Government." The White House. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. .

Our Plan We plan to stop robotripping before it becomes a more serious issue. Our policy states that medicines containing DXM should be over the counter drugs but to acquire it, you must go to a pharmacy. We want to explain our problem to many influential people such as teachers and parents. With their support, we will try to persuade others to follow along. We will send important information to the government who can accept our policy and stop DXM abuse. We will focus on areas with high rates of robotripping to start. We want to inform people about all the harmful effects and important information about DXM abuse. We believe people such as teachers will support our policy. Teachers are affected by those who robot rip because they can’t focus and learn properly. This disrupts the teacher and the other students who are learning. Also, the teenager abusing DXM may tell other students to try and this may result in a chain effect of teenagers’ robotripping. We will hold teacher trainings to inform teachers on the effects of robotripping and they will tell their students to never do it. Teachers are very influential in a child’s life because they teach us about how to prepare for the future. This influence will help them get their point across to the kids. At schools, we can also have informational workshops on DXM abuse for both parents and students. We can then gain the support of schools and introduce our policy. Parents of the abusers will see their child in pain so they will try to stop the child. Parents are very influential because most children have a parent to whom they look up to. Famous actors/singers, who have influence over their fans, may support our policy. These actors may include Justin Bieber or Usher who are very popular among kids 9 - 17 years of age. We can show these actors presentations of robotripping and explain to them what the problem is. With their support and popularity, we will further promote our policy. Agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that proposed previous policies regarding robotripping will also support our policy. The agencies may have failed or not done well with their proposed policy so they will back our policy up since it has the same goal. We can also get a person who robotripped in the past to come and share their horrible experience with the crowd. This will be very moving because people can actually hear a first - hand account. Government officials, such as Mayor Bloomberg (mayor of New York), will support our policy because they set rules for the safety of the public and by supporting our policy, they will prevent teenagers from robotripping. Influential individuals who are against the limits of DXM are most likely teenagers who abuse the drug and maybe some parents. Teenagers who abuse the drug will be angry because they don’t have easy access to the drug anymore. They won’t be able to robot rip anymore. Some parents may be against our policy. Some families may not live close to the pharmacy so getting cough medicine may be difficult. Some families get medicine from the deli but now they’ll have to go to the pharmacy which may cause transportation issues.

**Sources:**

“Dextromethorphan Abuse in Adolescence.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. Web. 31 Mar. 2011 [].

“Intelligence Bulletin: DXM (Dextromethorphan).” Welcome to the United States Department of Justice. Oct. 2004. Web. 14. Apr. 2011. []

Maheen: Hello Everybody David: Hi Alan: Hello Maheen: Over the past couple of months, we three have been studying the intriguing topic of DXM abuse Alan: DXM abuse is basically getting high on dextromethorphan, a drug commonly found in robitussin and other cough medicines as well. David: This problem isn’t very popular because it’s so unheard of but it is a growing issue. Maheen: in 1999, there were 400 reported cases of DXM abuse. In 2002, In 2004, it rose to around 2500 cases. Alan: The trend is going up and if we don’t do anything about, it’ll stay that way until one day, it becomes incontrollable. David: There are many effects to DXM abuse. Teens mainly abuse it so that they hallucinate. They reported that they feel weightless and happy. Maheen: But abusing DXM has dangerous effects. Alan: Vomiting is most likely when the drug is abused. But cardiac arrest can also occur which can be fatal. David: Muscle spasms can occur as well. Not only is this dangerous to the abuser, it is dangerous to the people around them. Maheen: In 2005, a man was high on DXM had a traffic accident. He injured two people but wasn’t charged. <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif;">Alan: He didn’t even receive a D.U.I because at the time there were no prohibitions against DXM abuse.

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