UCSF Today

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Number of Teens Abusing Cough Medicine Soars

Ilene B. Anderson, PharmD, reports in the December Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine that the number of California teenagers using over-the-counter cough medicines to get high has soared in recent years, mirroring a national trend.

Anderson is senior author of the paper and a clinical pharmacist at the San Francisco division of the California Poison Control System. She also serves as a clinical professor in the UCSF clinical pharmacy department.

     
“Dextromethorphan Abuse in Adolescence:  An Increasing Trend: 1999-2004”      Jodi K. Bryner, PharmD; Uerica K. Wang, PharmD; Jenny W. Hui, PharmD; Merilin Bedodo, PharmD; Conan MacDougall, PharmD;      Ilene B. Anderson, PharmD         Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 2006;160:1217-1222. December 2006       Abstract |       Full Text | Full       Text (PDF)

Related Links:

Number of Teens Abusing Cough Medicine Soars 
KPIX-TV (CBS), December 4, 2006

Tom Vacar Reports on More California Teens Abusing Cough Medicines 

KTVU-TV (FOX), December 4, 2006

Adolescent Abuse of Over-the-counter Cold Medicine Soars 
UCSF News Release, December 4, 2006