Teen nonmedical misuse of medications may be more common than we believed.
In Psychology Today’s Addiction Outlook column, Dr. Mark Gold discusses that teen nonmedical misuse of medications like dextromethorphan (DXM) and promethazine may be more widespread than previously recognized. Dr. Linda B. Cottler, Director of NDEWS, warns, “Parents should be aware of these combinations and talk to their children about avoiding ‘cough’ medicines acquired from friends, friend’s siblings, or friends’ parents.” The NDEWS web monitoring team issued an alert on February 14, 2025, after detecting a surge in Reddit discussions about DXM and promethazine since August 2024.