• Talk:  Tell your child that cough medicine is a drug and should only be used as directed.
• Be aware:  Check medicines stored in your home for signs of misuse.
• Look closer:  Many websites glamorize cough medicine abuse, and online pharmacies sell the medicine.  Pay attention to how much time your child is spending on the Internet and the sites they are visiting.
• Listen:  for slang words that might refer to cough medicine, such as Dex, DXM, Skittles, Syrup, and Tussin. 

Abuse of cough medicine is a serious problem, with one in ten youth ages 12 to 17 reporting taking excessive amounts of over-the-counter cough medicine to get high. (Partnership for a Drug-Free America)

Be on the look out for empty cough medicine bottles or packages in backpacks, garbage cans, and bedrooms; disappearing cough and cold medicines from family medicine cabinets; declining grades, change in friends, appearance, eating and sleeping habits; and unusual chemical or medicinal smells on your child or in their room.

Learn more about stopping cough medicine abuse by visiting www.StopMedicineAbuse.org and www.doseofprevention.org.  For more tips on raising your child to be substance-free, go to www.HelpThemKnow.com.