Sales of DXM-Containing Medicine to Minors Now Restricted in California

Filed under Substance Abuse by VirtualTest | 0 comments

The sales of certain cough and cold medicines that contain dextromethorphan (DXM), one of the commonly-abused over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, is now restricted in the state of California, after Senate Bill 514 became California law on January 1st.

The bill was the brainchild of two Palo Alto officers, who proposed it to bill author Sen. Joe Simitian in 2004 as part of a contest entitled ?There Oughta be a Law.?

The two officers, Sgt. Wayne Benitez and former Palo Alto officer Ron Lawrence, proposed that restrictions to the sales of medicines with DXM be imposed. At the time the proposal was presented in 2004, few in the Legislature have heard of DXM, and the effects that it produced. Needless to say, the proposal did not do well in the Legislature.

Since then, however, the rate of abuse of DXM has increased significantly. This was observed especially in kids younger than 17, based on information provided by the California Poison Control System. The bill was then reviewed by Sen. Simitian in 2011, received positively by the Legislature, and was consequently passed.

The implementation of the law means that those who purchase cough and cold medicines that contain DXM will need to present IDs to store clerks, to prove that they are 18 years of age or older, before they can buy the medicines. The bill renders California as the first state to implement a law that will restrict the sales of medicines with DXM to minors.

Tags: California DXM ban, California DXM law, cold medicine abuse, cough syrup abuse, DXM abuse, DXM sale to minors

Source: http://hometestingblog.testcountry.com/?p=18426

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