Teen OTC drug abuse falls, Rx level steady

The abuse of over-the-counter cough remedies by US teenagers is falling, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse's annual Monitoring the Future survey. Linda Suydam, president of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, which represents OTC drug firms, said: "this year's survey offers very promising news about the efforts of the leading makers of OTC cough medicines to discourage abuse, noting that the annual rates of prevalence have decreased among eighth and 12th graders and show no increase among 10th graders."

Among the CHPA's initiatives to counter the problem, Ms Suydam noted "educational programming for parents, schools, pharmacists and retailers, law enforcement, health professionals, community leaders and on-line."

The National Institutes of Health, which includes the NIDA, reported that the survey "indicates a continuing high rate of prescription drug abuse among teens, with little change seen in the past few years." Seven of the top 10 drugs abused by 12th graders were either prescription or OTC agents, the NIH noted. The most popular of these are opioid painkillers Vicodin (hydrocodone 10mg, paracetamol 1g) and OxyContin (oxycondone HCl), the former co-marketed by drug major Abbott Laboratories and Purdue Frederick.