Legislation aims to prevent teen abuse of cough medicine
Washington – Sens. Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) recently introduced legislation aimed at preventing teen abuse of over-the-counter cough medicine.
The Preventing Abuse of Cough Treatments Act (S. 644) would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prohibit the sale of OTC cough medicines containing dextromethorphan – which can produce hallucinogenic effects at higher doses – to anyone younger than 18 (unless presenting a prescription). Recreational use of DXM is sometimes called “robotripping” or “skittling.”
According to a press release from Casey’s office, approximately 5 percent of teenagers have purposefully taken large amounts of DXM, which also can cause confusion, blurred vision and loss of motor control.
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