Emergency-room physicians and healthcare professionals across the country are reporting a significant increase in the number of teens misusing non-prescription cough and cold medicines.

Because of the accessibility and ease of use of cough and cold tablets, teens are using them to attain hallucinogenic effects similar to PCP.

"It's not illegal to purchase. It's not even illegal to take in large quantities. It's just dangerous and foolish and that is what is scaring everybody," said Dr. Charles Nozicka, director of pediatric emergency medicine at St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, Ill.

At issue are cough and cold tablets containing DXM, a cough suppressant. Large quantities of DXM can cause side effects similar to a PCP overdose, including slurred speech, tremors, seizures, and death.

"Kids can abuse a long time before adults suspect a problem," said Dr. Louis Kraus, who has a private practice in Deerfield, Ill., and is director of child and adolescent psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center. "Even physicians are basically in the dark about this."

He added, "Most of the children I see are at a very high risk for abusing other substances mostly because of the ease of access. They're also at high risk for more significant morbidity. Those who don't use it know of its potential devastating effects and the ones who do use it don't care. So consequently, they are at much higher risk for self-destructive and very damaging behaviors."

As a result of the growing problem, many drugstore chains are relocating DXM products from store shelves to behind the counter, or are limiting purchases.