NEW DATA ON COUGH/COLD MEDICINE

The National Survey on Drug Useand Health found that 3.1 millionindividuals between the ages of 12and 25 have abused OTC coughand cold medicine.

The number of young individualswho abused cold medicines is comparablewith that for LSD and muchgreater than that for methamphetamineamong the age group, accordingto the federal Substance Abuseand Mental Health Services Administration.The 2006 survey foundthat >5% of teenagers and youngadults had misused cough and coldmedicines and indicated that theseindividuals also had tried illicit drugsfrequently.

Linda A. Suydam, DPA, presidentof the Consumer Healthcare ProductsAssociation(CHPA),pointed outthat the agency'ssurvey results,as wellas resultsfrom the DecemberNationalInstitute of Medicine'sMonitoring the Future survey, areevidence of the importance ofeducation efforts of many, includingCHPA members. "The nation'smedicine makers are committedto providing educational programmingabout medicine abuse in theschools, at retail, with law enforcement,in the community, andonline."