OSAKA — The problem of overdosing on commercially available drugs such as cough and cold medicines is becoming more serious among young people in Japan.
Recently, Osaka Prefectural Police arrested Hikaru Kosaka, 26, an unemployed man from Higashiosaka, on suspicion of kidnapping minors for taking three junior high and high school girls to his home. One of the three was found in cardiopulmonary arrest at his house and was later confirmed dead. The suspect explained that they had all ingested a large amount of cough medicine. The prefectural police are investigating the details of the incident, believing that the girl died of an overdose.
A nationwide survey conducted in 2023 by a research group from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare found that 0.75% of those aged 15-64, an estimated 650,000 people, reported having abused over-the-counter drugs in the past year. The percentage by age group was highest among those aged 15-19, at 1.46%, or roughly 85,000 people.
Over-the-counter drugs can be easily purchased at pharmacies and drugstores. Stories can be found on the internet of people who have apparently taken large doses, claiming that it “felt good” or “relieved a painful feeling.” However, the health ministry is calling for caution, as there is a possibility of death from poisoning symptoms caused by overdosing.
According to data from the health ministry, a survey of the main drugs that caused addiction among 10- to 19-year-olds treated at psychiatric facilities nationwide showed that the percentage of over-the-counter drugs, which was 0% in 2014, had jumped to 56.4% in 2020.
(Japanese original by Mizuki Hayashi, Osaka City News Department)
Cases of overdosing on over-the-counter drugs increasing among teens in Japan
