Over-the-Counter Medicines

Over-the-Counter Medicines

Over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as certain cough
suppressants, sleep aids, and antihistamines, can be abused for
their psychoactive effects. This typically means taking doses higher
than recommended or combining OTC medications with alcohol, or
with illicit or prescription drugs. Either practice can have dangerous
results, depending on the medications involved. Some contain
aspirin or acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol), which can be toxic to the
liver at high doses. Others, when taken for their “hallucinogenic”
properties, can cause confusion, psychosis, coma, and even death.
Cough syrups and cold medications are the most commonly
abused OTC medications. In 2010, for example, 6.6 percent of high
school seniors took cough syrup ”to get high.” At high doses,
dextromethorphan—a key ingredient found in cough syrup—can
act like PCP or ketamine, producing dissociative or out-of-body
experiences.