A town hall meeting in August brought together local parents, educators, retailers, law enforcement officials, healthcare professionals and others to raise awareness about the dangerous trend of teens abusing cough medicine to get high.

Representatives from the Manhasset Community Coalition Against Substance Abuse (CASA) joined forces with meeting sponsors, including the Suffolk Coalition to Prevent Alcohol and Drug Dependencies, Inc., the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) (founded in 1881, represents the leading makers of over-the-counter cough medicines), to honor the first annual, congressionally designated National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month.

Recent studies have spotlighted medicine abuse, including the abuse of over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicines, as an alarming trend among young people. Where OTC cough medicines are concerned, these teens are intentionally taking excessive amounts-up to 50 times the recommended dose-to get "high" from the active ingredient dextromethorphan. When used correctly, dextromethorphan-containing medicines have a 50-year history of being safe and effective. But when abused in extreme excess, dextromethorphan can produce dangerous side effects, especially when combined with alcohol, illicit drugs, or certain prescription drugs.

"Consumers have trusted the makers of over-the-counter medications with the health of their families for many years. Now, it's our turn to alert communities and educate parents about this dangerous teen behavior," said Linda A. Suydam, D.P.A., president of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

According to the Long Island Regional Poison and Drug Information Center, cough medicine abuse has proven to be a growing problem on Long Island. Sixty-two teens from Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties, ages 13 to 19, required hospitalization from dextromethorphan abuse last year, compared to only 11 five years ago. The Suffolk County town hall is just one of several initiatives in the area dedicated to preventing teens from abusing cough medicine to get high. Nassau County officials hope to follow suit.

"Our neighbors in Suffolk County have taken considerable action towards preventing cough medicine abuse among their teens," said Karin Schlereth, Community Coordinator for the Manhasset Community Coalition Against Substance Abuse. "We joined them at this town hall with the hopes of raising the same level of awareness in the Nassau County community as well."

General Arthur T. Dean, chairman & CEO of CADCA, offered opening remarks at Monday's town hall meeting. Andrew Fish of CHPA served as a panelist, along with leading members of Suffolk County's anti-drug abuse community, including Legislator Lynn C. Nowick, Michael Eisenberg, MD, MPH, an addiction medicine specialist, and Gary Bringmann, the health and wellness chairman of the Suffolk Region PTA. The town hall format offered opportunities for Suffolk and Nassau County residents to join the discussion and ask questions of the panelists.

Suffolk County's meeting was one of a series of town halls occurring across the country throughout August. A partnership between CHPA, the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, and the parent group of the Suffolk Coalition to Prevent Alcohol and Drug Dependencies, the event is supported by an educational toolkit produced by CHPA and CADCA called "A Dose of Prevention: Stopping Cough Medicine Abuse Before It Starts."

"The most effective tool we have to fight substance abuse, including cough medicine abuse, is education at the community level," said General Arthur Dean, chairman & CEO of Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America. "Coalitions across the country are really getting out in front of this problem and taking a leadership role to stop cough medicine abuse in its tracks."

In addition to its work with CADCA, CHPA is spearheading several major campaigns to raise awareness of dextromethorphan abuse, including the comprehensive website www.StopMedicineAbuse.org and programs with the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and D.A.R.E America. The organization has created English- and Spanish-language educational resources for parents and community leaders, an online campaign (www.FiveMoms.com) designed specifically to educate parents, and public service announcements and websites for both parents and teens.

For more information about the CADCA/CHPA town hall initiative and the Dose of Prevention Toolkit (which is available online), visit www.DoseofPrevention.org.

The Manhasset Community Coalition Against Substance Abuse, Inc., (CASA) was formed in 2000 to support educational and community outreach programs to prevent the underage and illegal use of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. These initiatives serve parents, educators, and students to reduce illegal substance use among the young people of Manhasset. Through primary prevention, CASA aims to ensure the safety and well-being of young people before they are in trouble.