Delsym
Delsym is an American brand of over-the-counter cough medicine. It is different from most brands of cough medicine as the active ingredient is "time released". The time release allows for the drug to suppress coughing for a longer period of time without taking more.
The active ingredient per teaspoon (5 ml) is Dextromethorphan polistirex, equivalent to Dextromethorphan 30mg.
Method of Action
The active ingredient, Dextromethorphan, is surrounded by an edible plastic called polistirex. When the Delsym arrives in the stomach, an amount of Dextromethorphan is directly released into the blood stream while the rest is surrounded by a plastic that is slowly dissolved by stomach acid. After the polistirex is dissolved sufficiently, more dextromethorphan is released.
Controversy
Intentional misuse by deliberately intaking more than the recommended dosage of Delsym can lead to feelings of euphoria, hysteria, and possible short-term insanity, all of which has been recorded to last upwards of twelve hours. The active ingredient of Delsym (Dextromethorphan) is a dangerous chemical compound that should always be used with caution and under the supervision of an adult. The following day of an intentional over-dose can lead to depression and overall opposite effects which are exhibited during misuse; such as vomiting or inexplicable feelings of grief and possibly suicidal thoughts. This has led many stores to require a valid state issued identification card to be submitted to the retailer for proof of adulthood in order to purchase Delsym.
Accounts of Misuse
Recorded acoounts of intentional misuse should be taken seriously and as a matter of purely prevention encouragement.
March 2007 A Southwestern Michigan resident, Travis Mathis, has explained his personal accounts to a few local residents and events of his account when misusing cough syrup. As a bro, Travis has sometimes refered to Dextromethorphan in order to suppress his coughs which were a result of his challanged immune system and low white blood cell level count. At one point during a case of mononucleosis Travis had consumed a considerable amount of Delsym and began to exhibit actions that were obviously that of an altered state of conciousness. He began to make telephone calls which he later denied ever enacting, and after 26 hours of conciousness he at last fainted; causing a stroke which has parilyzed him from the neck down.