Senator Grisanti Hosts Successful Town Hall Meeting At ECC South To Educate Community On How To Stop Cough Medicine Abuse Among Teens

Senator Mark Grisanti (R-60) today announced that a successful town hall meeting was held Wednesday night at the South Campus of ECC highlighting both the important steps to take to prevent teen abuse of cough medicine and the signs to look for to stop the abuse before it starts.

More than 50 parents and interested members of the community  listened to experts from Pathways Treatment services, Erie County Council for the Prevention of Alcohol and Substance Abuse, the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), local law enforcement officials and Legislator Lynn Dixon during an enlightening discussion that lasted for about two hours.  

"It is alarming that more than 5 percent of teens report abusing over the counter cough medicine to get high.  This panel of highly educated practitioners emphasized that parents must talk to their teens, monitor their medicine cabinets and share information with others in the community to stop this from happening," said Senator Mark Grisanti (R- Buffalo). "The use of cough medicine has become so common it has a nickname 'robotripping' and kids take the medicine in their backpack to school.  I want to figure out how we can curb this activity to save our kids before it is too late."

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2010, 2 million persons aged 12 or older initiated their first drug use with non-medical use of pain relievers. That is 2 million young people who were introduced to drug taking through misuse of over the counter pain medications.  Today's focus on medicine abuse is important because parents can instill in children that medicines must be taken as directed, even over the counter medicines are dangerous if not taken properly.