Pharmacist alerts police to potential abuse, danger of cold products

    An alert Clear Lake pharmacist is working with local police and schools to make them aware of potential misuse of an over-the-counter cough syrup.
    Clear Lake Police Chief Greg Peterson said he received a call from Garvis Houck, of Houck Drug, who informed him that he suspected a problem in Clear Lake with kids as young as 12-years-old buying and abusing Coricidin Cough and Cold tablets.  Houck researched the product and learned that the Cincinnati Poison Control Center had reported a trend among teenagers of ingesting large amounts of Coricidin HBP Cough & Cold tablets to obtain a “high.”
    Information on the ingestion of Coricidin HBP Cough & Cold tablets recorded by a poison control center indicated a high rate of abuse of the product among teenagers.  The dextromethorphan and chlorpheniramine in the tablets may cause adverse effects, and bromide poisoning may result from chronic abuse.
    Peterson noted that Houck contacted Thrifty White Drug and made them aware of this phenomenon and both drug stores have now put this medicine behind the counter. They will refuse to sell it to minors. Adults who request the product will have to show an ID and the drug stores will keep a record of purchase. If someone seems to be a regular buyer of this product, the drug stores will notify the Police Department.
    Chief Peterson said he has also made other stores which sell the products aware of the danger.
    Peterson said he has asked the school district to share this information with parents to make them aware of a potentially dangerous situation.