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Dangers Of Abusing Promethizine And Codeine Mixed With Soft Drink?
My name is Ken Boudreau and I am the Commanding Officer of the Gang School Safety Teams in Chicago. We are seeing an expolsion of the abuse of promethizine with codeine mixed with a soft drink being abused by elementary students and high school students. I have been asked to provide a list of the dangers of abusing them, along with some telltale recognition signs eg smell . I will cite your answers, with of course your permission. These answers will be distributed throughout the Chicago Publsic School System to teachers and administrators.
Thu, 12 May 2016
You might want a detailed answer on this, directed to me, a board certified addiction specialist.
Briefly.
Codeine is a narcotic. As such, it has the risks of overdose and addiction.
Promethazine is an antihistamine. It is not a lot different from other cold medications but some combinations become popular while nearly identical other ones do not. Promethazine has been often paired with codeine because the combination is helpful for cold symptoms (codeine is a cough suppressant while promethazine lowers mucous and other histamine effects). In drug abuse, the two have significant benefits from being paired, the anti-histmaine effects of the promethazine counteract the histamine releasing effects sometimes seen with codeine or other narcotics. Both promethazine and codeine are sedatives and the combination increases the sedative action.
That's a start.
Briefly.
Codeine is a narcotic. As such, it has the risks of overdose and addiction.
Promethazine is an antihistamine. It is not a lot different from other cold medications but some combinations become popular while nearly identical other ones do not. Promethazine has been often paired with codeine because the combination is helpful for cold symptoms (codeine is a cough suppressant while promethazine lowers mucous and other histamine effects). In drug abuse, the two have significant benefits from being paired, the anti-histmaine effects of the promethazine counteract the histamine releasing effects sometimes seen with codeine or other narcotics. Both promethazine and codeine are sedatives and the combination increases the sedative action.
That's a start.
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