Misuse of Over-the-Counter Cough and Cold Medications among Persons Aged 12 to 25

The NSDUH Report:  Misuse of Over-the-Counter Cough and Cold Medications among Persons Aged 12 to 25

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Highlights:

• The cough suppressant dextromethorphan (DXM) is found in more than 140 over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medications. Dextromethorphan is generally safe when taken in recommended doses but in large amounts can cause dangerous side effects and has led to increased poison control calls involving dextromethorphan.

• Based on SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2006 about 3.1 million persons aged 12 to 25 (5.3%) had ever used an over-the-counter cough and cold medication to get high; that is, used it nonmedically. Nearly 1 million persons aged 12 to 25 (1.7%) had used an over-the-counter cough and cold medication to get high in the past year.

• Young adults aged 18 to 25 were more likely than youth aged 12 to 17 to have used OTC cough and cold medications nonmedically in their lifetime (6.5% vs. 3.7%) but were less likely to do so in the past year (1.6% vs. 1.9%).

• Whites aged 12 to 25 (2.1%) were more likely than Hispanics (1.4%) and blacks (0.6%) to have used an over-the-counter cough and cold medication in the past year to get high.

Other reports on dextromethorphan

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This Short Report, The NSDUH Report:  Misuse of Over-the-Counter Cough and Cold Medications among Persons Aged 12 to 25, is based on SAMHSA's  National Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted by the Office of Applied Studies (OAS) in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is the primary source of information on the prevalence, patterns, and consequences of drug and alcohol use and abuse and for selected mental health measures in the general U.S. civilian non institutionalized population, age 12 and older.   SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use & Health also provides estimates for drug use and for selected mental health measures by State.

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This page was last updated on January 10, 2008.

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