Declines in OTC abuse
The National Institute on Drug Abuse's 2008 Monitoring the Future survey of teenage drug use shows a drop in dextromethorpan-containing OTC cough medicine abuse by 8th- and 12th-graders, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association says Dec. 11. CHPA President Linda A. Suydam notes the trade group and OTC cough medicine makers "are engaged in a multi-pronged public health education campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of medicine abuse." CHPA also supports enacting a federal law to bar consumers younger than 18 from purchasing DXM OTCs (1"The Tan Sheet" Nov. 3, 2008, In Brief). The University of Michigan, which conducts the survey, says campaigns against DXM misuse "have proven somewhat successful, though certainly not entirely so.
Annual survey shows OTC product abuse flat in 2009
Results from the National Institute on Drug Abuse's Monitoring the Future survey for 2009 show little change since 2006 in the rate teens are abusing OTC cough/cold products, such as dextromethorphan-containing cough medicine. The Consumer Healthcare Products Association notes while there has not been an increase, the findings serve "as a reminder of the importance of education and talking to teens about the dangers" of OTC drug abuse. The survey is conducted by the University of Michigan (1"The Tan Sheet" Dec. 22, 2008, In Brief)
DXM Distribution Legislation Clears House And Moves To Senate Again
Legislation banning distribution of bulk dextromethorphan to people and businesses not registered with FDA passed the House with overwhelming support and moves to the Senate, where similar bills stalled in the two previous sessions
CHPA comments on WHO's DXM issue
Congress "explicitly excluded" dextromethorphan from U.S. controlled substance laws, the Consumer Healthcare Product Association says in its comments to FDA about possible international restrictions on the OTC cough/cold ingredient. CHPA responds Oct. 20 to FDA's Sept. 5 request for comments on formulating a report to the World Health Organization on DXM (1"The Tan Sheet" Sept. 8, 2008, p. 5). The trade group says "there is no practical substitute for [DXM] as a cough suppressant" because among other ingredients on FDA's OTC cough/cold monograph, codeine is a controlled substance, diphenhydramine is more commonly used as an antihistamine and chlopheniadol has not been used "for decades in the U.S." in nonprescription cough medicines. CHPA supports legislation that would restrict sales of bulk DXM and place an age limit of 18 for sales of OTCs with the ingredient
Subject: Declines in OTC abuse