Because of their widespread use and availability, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs can be abused like any other drugs.

Staff members at Kishwaukee Community Hospital have seen cases of people abusing non-prescription medications.

Kathy Gehrke, a nurse and hospital supervisor, said the hospital sees abuse occurring among all age groups, not just college students.

There are more than 100,000 OTC drugs available to consumers. OTC drugs are available for students to buy near campus, but few seem to be buying them.

The Holmes Student Center’s University Bookstore sells Tylenol, NyQuil, aspirin, cold medicine and other over-the-counter medications.

“I don’t think that many students come in and buy that,” said Dan Pitz, a University Bookstore employee and sophomore history major. “I think it’s just for emergencies.”

Village Commons Bookstore, 901 Lucinda Ave., sells OTC medicines as well.

Karen Grisham, a VCB employee and sophomore communication major, said she doesn’t see students buy the OTC drugs very often. “They probably don’t even know we even sell them.”

There are more than 80 categories of OTC drugs, ranging from acne products to cold medicines and weight-control products. According to the Food and Drug Administration’s Web site, www.fda.gov, general characteristics of OTC drugs are that their benefits outweigh their risks, the potential for misuse and abuse is low, consumers can use them for self-diagnosed conditions, they can be adequately labeled and health practitioners are not needed to safely and effectively use the drug.

Christine Balake, senior community relations representative of the Rosecrance Substance Abuse Treatment Center in Rockford, said staffers there see many cases of adolescents abusing over-the-counter drugs, but not college students. Balake said college-aged students are more likely to abuse and use “club drugs” such as ecstasy and GHB. She said the reason adolescents frequently abuse OTC drugs is because they don’t need an ID to get them.

“We’re seeing a lot more of the OTC stuff,” Balake said. “It’s what’s available.”

Balake said the abuse of OTC drugs is something to be concerned about. The drugs they see being abused a lot are coricidin cold tablets, Sudafed and Robitussin cough syrup. She said kids abuse the coricidin tablets the most in order to achieve an amphetamine-like high.

Michael Flora, president and CEO of the Ben Gordon Center, 12 Health Services Drive, said staff members have seen cases where college students abused OTC medications. Drugs they abused include NyQuil, Ex-Lax, diet drugs and sleeping pills.

Flora said the center has had referrals from University Health Service for students who have been abusing OTC drugs.

Flora also said people will sometimes overdose on OTC drugs in an attempt to commit suicide. He said individuals in need of assistance should seek help with an abuse problem.

The National Council for Patient Information and Education did a study in 2001 that surveyed 1,011 American adults about their use of OTC medications. Of those surveyed, 59 percent said they had taken at least one OTC drug in the last six months. Among the reasons cited for taking them were: 78 percent had taken medication for pain, cough, cold, flu or sore throat (52 percent), allergy/sinus problems (45 percent) and heartburn/indigestion issues (37 percent).

Also, one-third of Americans said they take more than the recommended dose of OTC medications.

In another NCPIE poll consisting of 451 physicians, nurses and pharmacists, 79 percent said they were concerned about Americans’ use of OTC drugs. They were concerned about people using more than one OTC drug at a time (51 percent) and the chronic use of OTC drugs (44 percent).