CHPA applauds NIDA's cough medicine abuse monitoring survey

Linda Suydam, president of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), applauded the release of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)'s Monitoring the Future survey, which reported data for the second year on the non-medical use of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines containing dextromethorphan among 8th-, 10th-, and 12th- grade students. Suydam stated, "Monitoring the Future is a valuable tool that helps parents and community leaders better understand teen behaviors, and we commend the survey authors for continuing to address cough medicine abuse. This year's survey has some good news for America's parents, showing that the abuse of dextromethorphan, the active ingredient in cough medicine, among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders has not grown. According to the survey, 4%, 5.4%, and 5.8% of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders, respectively, reported abusing these OTC medicines to get high. While we are pleased that the cough medicine abuse did not increase among 8th and 10th graders, and actually decreased among 12th graders, our ultimate goal is that our efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of medicine abuse result in a decrease among all age groups."

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