Over-the-counter substances are cheap and widely available compared to other substances of abuse.

Some teens view them as safe or non-addictive because they are legally and readily available.

In 2020, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that 3.2 to 4.6% of high schoolers nationwide endorsed abusing over-the-counter cough and cold medicines

in 2019, the year before. In this podcast, Mara and I will discuss some commonly abused substances

that are legally available for purchase.

Welcome to the Carlat Psychiatry Podcast.

This is another special episode from the child psychiatry team.

I'm Dr. Josh Fader, the editor-in-chief of the Carlat Child Psychiatry Report, and co-author of the Child Medication Factbook for Psychiatric Practice

and the newer prescribing psychotropics.

But of course, we have our newest version of the Child Medication Factbook for Psychiatric

practice coming out probably around the same time as this podcast, so look for that too.

And I'm Mara Government, a licensed clinical social worker in Southern California with a private practice.

Let's begin by discussing cratum, an herbal extract from mitragyna speciosa, which acts on opioid receptors.

Cratum is available as a tea that can be brewed in hot water, in capsules, or in powders,

and is usually found in vape shops or on the internet.

Cratum sales exceeded $1.13 billion in 2016 and the majority of toxic exposures to Kratum from 2011 to 2017 were in

adolescents.

But why is Kratom popular and what makes this extract dangerous?

Adolescents seek out Kratom because it has stimulant effects at low doses and euphoric effects

at higher doses.

Since it acts on opiate receptors, some people think it can be used to help with opioid

withdrawal as well.

...