Criminal charges are pending against a Sturgis woman accused of fraudulently obtaining prescription drugs, then giving them to her 17-year-old son to share with his friends.

According to the Sturgis Police Department, several juveniles and adults used the drugs, along with alcohol and large amounts of cough medicine, Sept. 6 at a party. Several of those juveniles ended up in the Sturgis Regional Hospital emergency room after parents noticed their children were not "acting normal," police said.

Police said felony charges are now pending against the 37-year-old mother, whose name has not been released. Potential charges include unauthorized possession of a controlled substance, unauthorized distribution of a substance with a high potential for abuse, obtaining possession of a controlled substance by fraud and keeping a place for use or sale of a controlled substance.

According to the news release, the woman was already on probation for illegally obtaining prescription drugs in September 2007.

Charges also are pending against an 18-year-old Sturgis man who was involved in the incident. Police say the man helped several juveniles steal all of the over-the-counter cold medicine from a store before the party. The medicine was then consumed at the party.

The 18-year-old faces charges of ingesting and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Police said several juveniles could also be charged.

Sturgis police said the incident highlights a distributing trend among teenagers. At so-called "Pharm Parties," prescription drugs, including tranquilizers, pain killers and psychotropic drugs, are taken together in dangerous combinations. Local police say they also have seen an increase in the abuse of cough and cold medicines, which are taken in extremely high doses in order to get high.

Police are asking that parents of teenagers pay attention to their medicine cabinets, particularly their prescription medications, to make sure the medications are not disappearing.

Side effects of prescription drugs and cough medicines can range from dizziness and nausea to seizures and death.