CADCA-CHPA OTC (DXM) Abuse Prevention Toolkit Launch

CADCA and CHPA Help Coalitions Tackle Over-the-Counter Medicine Abuse

In recent years, abuse of prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, particularly cough medicines with dextromethorphan, among adolescents has increased dramatically. In fact, according to the last National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the non-medical use of prescription drugs alone among 18- to 25-year-olds jumped from 5.4 percent in 2002 to 6.3 percent in 2005 and in a recent study by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America one in 10 teens reported having abused over-the-counter cough medicines to get high. To combat this growing trend, CADCA and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) have joined forces to develop A Dose of Prevention: Stopping Cough Medicine Abuse Before it Starts, a new educational community toolkit. (For more information on the CADCA/CHPA partnership and links to articles about medicine abuse click here.)

The toolkit will help coalition and prevention leaders mobilize their communities and educate key stakeholders about the dangers of over-the-counter cough medicine abuse. This toolkit will provide you with easy-to-use, online and hard-copy tools that your coalition can integrate right away into your prevention and intervention strategies, including targeted fact sheets for various community sectors, sample opinion editorials, media outreach templates and more. All Forum participants will receive a free copy of the toolkit for use in their communities!

CADCA and CHPA will launch the toolkit at CADCA’s National Leadership Forum XVII in February during two workshops and a special press conference event.

Pre-Conference Workshop Monday, February 12, 2007 1:00pm-4:30pm

A Dose of Prevention: Engaging the Community to Prevent Rx and OTC Medicine Abuse

Research shows that an estimated one in 10 youths, or 2.4 million young people, have intentionally abused over-the-counter cough medicines to get high. In response, CADCA and CHPA have developed a new educational toolkit to help educate parents and key stakeholders about this trend. During this in-depth pre-conference session, coalition experts will discuss both prescription and over-the-counter medicine abuse (particularly medicines with Dextromethorphan) and demonstrate how the toolkit can be used to reduce its abuse. Working in breakout groups, participants will leave prepared to put the toolkit to use in their communities.

Forum Workshop Wednesday, February 14, 2:30pm-3:30pm

A Dose of Prevention: Engaging the Community to Prevent Rx and OTC Medicine Abuse

This conference session is an abbreviated version of the pre-conference workshop. Coalition experts will provide an overview on trends in prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse (particularly cough medicines with Dextromethorphan, the active ingredient in cough medicine) and demonstrate how the toolkit can be used to implement community-level strategies to prevent RX/OTC abuse.

Forum Workshop Thursday, February 15, 10:30am-11:30am - Room 208 A-B

CADCA/CHPA Press Conference: Experts to Unveil New Campaign to Prevent Cough Medicine Abuse

During this news conference, a panel of key stakeholders, medical experts and parents will discuss recent findings that showed that over-the-counter cough medicine abuse is on par with cocaine abuse among 8th, 10th and 12th graders. Panelists will unveil a new campaign and toolkit by CADCA and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association to educate parents, educators, healthcare practitioners, retailers and law enforcement officials about this dangerous trend.