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 White Plains, NY - The Westchester County Board of Legislators have approved a law that will prohibit the sale of over-the-counter cough suppressants made with Dextromethorphan, or DXM, to minors under the age of 18.
The ban will take effect 120 days after it is signed into law. DXM, when taken in large doses, can cause intoxication. The legislation is also known as “Anthony’s Law,” after Anthony Viero, an 87-year old WWII veteran from Yonkers who was tragically killed in a car accident in Westchester in which the driver was intoxicated by DXM.
The legislature’s action is in response to growing national concern over the use of DXM by teenagers as a substitute to alcohol to “get high.” While DXM is safe at the recommended dosage, when ingested at certain level, it can produce euphoric states similar to the “highs” associated with illegal drug use, including hallucinatory effects traditionally associated with LSD or PCP. In Westchester, over the past year alone, one fatality and one critical visit to the emergency room have been attributed to the cough syrup ingredient.
The measure was introduced by County Legislator Judy Myers (D-WF, Larchmont) who also serves as the County Board’s representative to the Westchester County Board of Health.
“This law serves as an important preventative measure,” said Myers. “The intent here is not only to protect teens from serious health complications, even death, that can result from abusing this product but to send out a bulletin to the entire community about the importance of being vigilant about having DXM cough syrup around the house.”
County Legislator Bill Burton (D-IN, Ossining), Chair of the Legislation Committee, said that the practice of “robotripping” ---which the abuse of DXM is called-- is particularly prevalent among students in grades 7 through 12. DXM’s wrongful use can cause hallucinations, vomiting, seizures, high blood pressure, blackouts and irregular heartbeats. Burton said that in their review, the Community Services and Legislation Committees met with members of the health and pharmaceutical industry who shared in the concern regarding this “underground” and legal way to abuse drugs.
“Teenagers are often not aware of the consequences of their actions” said Burton. “In a situation like this, where surveys have shown up to 10% of teens admitting to ‘robotripping’, we need a community response. This law provides that response: we will do what we can to protect teens from the impulse to abuse DXM by removing the easy opportunity to act on that impulse. We hope this law will prevent some unnecessary tragedies.”
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