I was in court this morning. On the elevator up to the 15th floor, I tried to hold my breath because the two guys standing behind me had apparently liquored up before court; and they were exhaling and talking in my direction. I got off before they did. In the court room, all the seats at the trial table were occupied; so, I was relegated to sitting in the front row of the gallery. A younger man sat next to me and asked me when I thought the judge would come out into the court room. I muttered that I didn't know and got up to talk to the cop who had stopped my client because the smell of alcohol from the guy sitting next to me was overpowering. So, it wasn't hard to believe that the domestic violence case called first and the theft case called right before my case were alcohol or drug related.
I have blogged about the abuse of readily available and relatively unregulated over-the-counter cough syrup. The active ingredient in Robitussin DM, for example, dextromethorphan, when taken in low doses can cause alcohol-like effects and in higher doses can cause hallucinogenic effect and other profound alterations in consciousness. Its abuse can lead to physical and psychological dependence.
So, while in the grocery store this morning after my court appearance, an orange box with a colorful drawing of a little kid jumping over a round ball with a 12 on it caught my eye. Delsym Cough Supressant. "Orange-flavored for children and adults" the label said, but it's marketed for kids. Why else put the smiling, jumping kid on the box.
The active ingredient is, of course, dextromethorphan. In the standard dose, there are 30 milligrams of DXM, three times more than in the same dose of Robitussin DM. No wonder the kid on the Delsym box is so happy -- and it's orange-flavored, too! Drugs never tasted so good!!
Posted by Bill at April 7, 2008 07:18 PM