...AND ASSOCIATION WANTS MORE DRUG ABUSE AWARENESS

The Consumer Healthcare ProductsAssociation (CHPA) haspushed for more education andawareness regarding teenage abuseof both Rx and OTC drugs. The association'spledge is in response to astudy about the increase in abuse ofdextromethorphan among Californiateens reported in Archives ofPediatrics & Adolescent Medicine(December 2006).

Along with the Partnership for aDrug-Free America and theCommunity Anti-Drug Coalitions ofAmerica, CHPA has developedEnglish-and Spanish-language educationalresources for parents,teens, and community leaders. Theresources are designed to educateparents about prescription and OTCdrug abuse, according to Linda A.Suydam, DPA, CHPA president.

"We believe that education is themost effective way to keep kidsfrom abusing all types of substances,including [OTC] medicines,and, in fact, studies have shownthat teens who talk about drugswith their parents are half as likelyto use drugs," stated Dr. Suydam.