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Pharmacist warns of misuse of over the counter drugs among youths
Kaieteur News- While most parents may be on the lookout for the use of prohibited substances such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin or tobacco among their teens, health care workers are warning about the misuse of new substances including Over-The-Counter (OTC) medicines among youths.
This issue was highlighted recently during a live aired segment of the Your Health Matters programme on Kaieteur Radio, when Pharmacist Ayaana Blair, shared information on the dangers associated with the misuse of various medications.
Cough syrups are among the commonly misused OTC medicines for youths.
During the programme, Blair spoke of a growing number of youths who are bypassing the more popular illicit substances to use common OTC drugs like cough syrups and other medicines containing, codeine phosphate; a common cough suppressant ingredient, to get high.
According to Blair, these substances can be mixed with alcohol and other types of medicines to create a high or give that adrenaline feeling a person is looking for but is ultimately dangerous to the health and wellbeing of that individual.
“Codeine phosphate which is found in many cough syrups and cold remedies seems to be the new recreational drug among youths. They are chasing it with alcohol to give them that euphoric feeling they are looking for,” Blair said.
The pharmacist noted that the misuse of the drug can lead to distorted awareness and hallucinations and warned therefore that misuse of these OTC medicines is just as dangerous as using illegal substances.
“It’s quite popular among teens who want a cheap, easy high but what that drug entering your body can do is lead to an addiction because of the euphoric feeling it gives,” the pharmacist said adding that addiction, no matter how harmless it seems, is not to be taken lightly.
Blair who is also a member of the Guyana Pharmacist Association noted therefore, that efforts are being made to curtail and regulate the misuse of OTC among young people
“Codeine phosphate products, cough syrups and so on are quite common now, it’s being sold at almost every store or corner shop so we are still trying to regulate it and monitor how we as pharmacist distribute it to patients before it becomes a bigger problem,” she said.
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