This is a guest post by Blaise Brooks of The Five Moms.
Did you know?
One in three teens knows someone who has abused DXM to get high.
In fact, only 59 percent of teens strongly believe that abusing OTC cough medicine to get high is risky. That means that nearly half believe that it is not.
You may be asking yourself, “What is DXM?” Dextromethorphan (DXM) is found in many over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicines. DXM is a safe and effective ingredient when used as directed, but can produce dangerous side effects when taken in excess.
Many parents make a point of talking with their teens about the risks of abusing substances like alcohol and marijuana, but cough medicine abuse isn’t always top of mind. This is one of the many reasons why October is National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month.
Join the fight to prevent medicine abuse by educating yourself and spreading the word about this risky teen trend.
Here are five ways YOU can get involved in your home and your community to help prevent medicine abuse:
Talk to your teen. Teens who learn about the risks of drugs from their parents are 50 percent less likely to use drugs. Have a conversation with your teen about the side effects of cough medicine abuse.
Visit WhatisDXM.com with your teen and discuss real stories from young people who tried abusing cough medicine. Offer your teen tips for resisting and standing up against peer pressure.
Share resources and inform other adults about teen medicine abuse. Visit StopMedicineAbuse.org to find toolkits for educators, parents, law enforcement officials, school nurses, community leaders and retailers/pharmacists.
You can use the fact sheets, presentations, and other resources within the toolkits to help you start the conversation about teen medicine abuse. You can also host an event in your community to talk about substance abuse, treatment and intervention strategies.
Participate in the #ToMyTeen campaign. Research shows that teens who are validated by their parents are more confident and less likely to succumb to peer pressure, which can include the pressure to participate in risky activities such as cough medicine abuse.
The #ToMyTeen campaign was created to spark a conversation among parents about what is positive about raising teens today. Share what makes you proud to be raising a teen. (And remind your teen that, while you may get frustrated at times, at the end of the day you are always proud to be his or her parent.)
Help to get the PACT Act on the agenda. Several states across the country have already taken action to prevent the sale of products containing DXM to minors, making it harder for teens to purchase these products for this dangerous use, while still keeping cough medicine accessible to those who use it for its intended purpose.
Get active with your local chapter of Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America (CADCA). Community coalitions are comprised of parents, teachers, businesses and other community activists who are working together to make their communities drug-free.
Teen medicine abuse can be prevented with education and awareness. This month, take action and start this important conversation. You are also invited to join the Stop Medicine Abuse community on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for the latest tips, news, and updates on teens and medicine abuse.
Blaise is a mother of one, caregiver of two, accountant and community advocate. Blaise is also a contributor to The Five Moms blog on StopMedicineAbuse.org, working to spread the word about cough medicine abuse with other parents. Join the conversation by following Stop Medicine Abuse on Facebook and Twitter.
What are your thoughts about teen medicine abuse? Let us know in comments. If you liked this post, please share on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. Thank you! Also, please contact me if I can be of help. I love to hear from my readers.
Are you concerned about your adolescent or your adults’ substance use? Getting support helps you move forward and make better decisions. Coaching is a way to have more clarity and understanding of your situation so that you feel more calm, positive and empowered. Click here to apply for your FREE Breakthrough session and learn more about how coaching can help you.
Great article and very educational. I think that this particular type of abuse goes unnoticed because you would never think kids could get addicted to medicine and cough syrup. Thanks for shining the light on this issue, Blaise, and for some excellent tips. Awareness and advocacy are a couple excellent ways to respond to this issue and prevent more kids from getting addicted on medicine.
Hi Vishnu,
It is so important to voice this issue about medicine and cough syrup abuse. Many teens just don’t realize how dangerous it is. I appreciate you stopping by.
Who knew? It’s amazing to me all the underlying issues and opportunities for abuse that I’m totally clueless about. Education is priceless and I thank you both for your wholehearted embrace to educate, motivate and inspire all of us to pay attention and speak up. 🙂
Unfortunately, kids will get creative when they are looking to get high. I am happy to share this information, so that we can get the word out. Thank you for your support!
Yeah it is called purple drank by many people. The rapper Lil Wayne drinks it a lot and was hospitalized because of it. I have had friends who have Robotripped before aka drinking a lot of robotussin. It is something that is more common than you’d think. Good job on spreading the awareness. I am sure many parents are not aware of it. I know mine wouldn’t be.
Hey Sebastian,
I’ve heard that purple drank can be dangerous. Too often teens, especially, try something on a whim, not realizing the danger. It is wonderful that The Five Moms is being so vocal about this issue. Take care and thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for sharing this, Cathy. This is such a great group – so impressed what what they’ve done and are doing!
The Five Moms has such an important message and I was happy to share. Thanks for stopping by!