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One of the growing trends in teen drug use today is the abuse of over the counter (OTC) drugs. There are a lot reasons that teenagers choose to abuse OTC drugs. One main reason is because drug stores makes it easier to get a hold of them rather than illegal drugs. Also, these OTC drugs are often referred to as "safer" than illegal drugs. For majority of teens, using over the counter drugs gives them “a buzz” or it helps them stay awake while studying. Which is not a problem in their mind, but every time any over the counter drugs or medications are consumed for something other than what it has been created for, or taking a dosage higher than the recommended dose, abuse of that drug has now taken place. The abuse of OTC drugs are starting to increasingly play a bigger part of the teenage culture. Unfortunately, lots of these teens fail to realize that they are endangering their wellbeing when they abuse OTC drugs.

There are many over the counter drugs that are being abused. The top three abused over the counter drugs are dextromethorphan, pain relievers, and diet pills. Dextromethorphan is an active drug found in over a hundred over the counter sleeping medicines such as Robitussin and NyQuil. One in every ten teens abuse cough medicine to get high. Medicines mixed with dextromethorphan are easy to find, affordable, and one hundred percent legal. Getting hands on the dangerous drug is often as easy as walking into the local drugstore with a few dollars or digging through the medicine cabinet. And because it's found in over-the-counter medicines, many teens naively assume that DXM can't be harmful or dangerous to the body. Pain relievers are also a most commonly used over the counter drug. Typically mixed with acetaminophen, NSAID,...

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...prior treatment factors. A continuance of care that includes a customized treatment regimen—addressing all aspects of an individual's life, including medical and mental health services—and follow–up options (e.g., community – or family-based recovery support systems) can be crucial to a person's success in achieving and maintaining a drug–free lifestyle.

We as American can’t watch over every person to prevent them from have and OTC Drug Abuse problem, but we can take affirmative steps to assure them that it can and will be dealt with. OTC Drug Abuse is a serious matter and should not be taken lightly. Living in denial about the addiction is what most Americans do because they feel that because it’s over- the-counter drugs, they can be used taken anytime they feel the need. OTC Drug Abuse is a big issue, so putting more enforcement on the cause can save many lives.