Cough Medicine Abuse

If your coalition has helped raise awareness about the dangers of over-the-counter cough medicine abuse in your community, then you may be eligible to win CADCA's new Dose of Prevention Award. Winners will receive a cash prize and free registration to attend CADCA's National Leadership Forum in February 2012. The deadline to apply has just been extended until Friday, Dec. 2, 2011!

Did you know that one in 10 youth ages 12 through 17 has abused cough medicine to get high from its dextromethorphan ingredient, and one in 5 young adults has abused a prescription drug? Help raise awareness of the dangers of medicine abuse by participating in the CADCA 50 Challenge. By registering for the Challenge, you’re automatically entered in a drawing for a free iPad.

This week, California became the first state to prohibit the sale of over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicines containing the active ingredient dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors. The legislation, SB 514, authored by State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), was signed into law Wednesday.

Did you know that one in 10 youth ages 12 through 17 has abused cough medicine to get high from its dextromethorphan ingredient, and one in 5 young adults has abused a prescription drug? Help raise awareness of the dangers of medicine abuse by participating in the CADCA 50 Challenge. By registering for the Challenge, you’re automatically entered in a drawing for a free iPad.

Did you know that one in 10 youth ages 12 through 17 has abused cough medicine to get high from its dextromethorphan ingredient, and one in 5 young adults has abused a prescription drug? Help raise awareness of the dangers of medicine abuse by participating in the CADCA 50 Challenge. By registering for the Challenge, you’re automatically entered in a drawing for a free iPad.

When CADCA issued a call to action earlier this year urging coalitions to help get prescription (Rx) drug abuse and over-the-counter (OTC) medicine abuse on the radar screen of families across the country, coalitions jumped to the challenge.

 

What's the best prescription to address the alarming rates of prescription drug abuse? It's a combination of strategies that not only educate the public, but also reduce access and change social norms. That's what coalitions are doing across the country – working on everything from drug take-back programs and partnerships with clinicians and pharmacists to hosting educational events during National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month.

Data from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America indicate that one in 10 teens reports having abused OTC cough medicines to get high, and 28 percent know someone who has tried it.

With the escalating rates of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicine abuse affecting communities nationwide, this issue will be one of the featured topics at CADCA's National Leadership Forum next month. Several workshops will address everything from prescription take back programs to media campaigns to raise awareness of over-the-counter cough medicine abuse.

If your coalition has helped raise awareness about the dangers of over-the-counter cough and cold medicine abuse in your community, then you may be eligible to win CADCA's new Dose of Prevention Award. Winners will receive a cash prize and free registration to attend CADCA's National Leadership Forum in February 2010.