Cough syrup, marijuana gain popularity among students

Ontario high school students are drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes less than ever before, but drinking and smoking other intoxicants is on the rise.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) released its annual survey of drug and alcohol habits among teenagers this week. It showed several new sources of concern for parents and drug researchers.

The family medicine cabinet has become a source for drugs.

Gaining in popularity is acough-syrup laced drink, which is known by theslang terms "sizzurp," "lean" or "purple drank."

"It's codeine with some Sprite and some Jolly Ranchers. I've never done it before but it's like a new thing," saidToronto-area high school student BrittneyComeau.

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Researchers were surprised by its popularity.

Liquid cough and cold medicines containingdextromethorphan are the source of the high,saidRobert Mann, a CAMH senior scientist.

Students are also experimenting with other over-the-counter drugs. The CAMH survey found one-in-eight students have tried at least something from the medicine cabinet, which is about 120,000 in total.

"These new numbers give us some insight into the use of alternative and emerging drugs among young people," said Dr. Hayley Hamilton, aCAMHscientist.

Still smoking, just not tobacco

Then there are e-cigarettes. This year marks the first time in 36 years of running the survey that researchers have asked about them. Almost 100,000 Ontario students say they've smoked them.

"I see some people walking in the halls smoking them actually," said Roberta Ferrence, of the Ontario tobacco research unit. "It's an aerosol and we don't know enough yet about what's in it or what it does to you."

Cigarette smoking did not show any increase this year, but it'snot decreasing either. More than 33,000 Ontario teens still say they smoke every day.

Many more are occasionally smoking marijuana, creating anothertroubling trend.

About 10 per cent of students with a drivinglicence reported driving after cannabis use. It's considered impaired driving.