Sale of OTC Dextromethorphan Restricted to Adults in Florida

Florida recently passed a law that restricts the sale of OTC dextromethorphan-containing cough and cold products to adults.

This law becomes effective January 1, 2017, and will prohibit those younger than 18 years from purchasing these OTC products.¹ Proof of age will be required if the purchaser is presumed to be younger than 25 years.

Dextromethorphan is present in more than 100 cough and cold products. It has been primarily abused by teenagers,² and side effects of dextromethorphan abuse include nausea, vomiting, confusion, dizziness, blurred vision, and slurred speech.

Florida is now the 10^th state to prohibit the sale of OTC dextromethorphan to minors. Other states with restrictions include California, New York, Arizona, Louisiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Washington, and New Jersey.²

Pharmacists can play an important role in educating patients about the dangers of abusing cough and cold medications. Parents should keep these products in a locked area hidden away from children.

References

• National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Florida law restricts sale of dextromethorphan to adults. nabp.net/news/florida-law-restricts-sale-of-dextromethorphan-to-adults. Published April 13, 2016. Accessed April 21, 2016.
• Consumer Healthcare Products Association. Dextromethorphan: preventing teen cough medicine abuse. chpa.org/dex.aspx. Accessed April 21, 2016.