Approximately one in 25 teens reports abusing excessive amounts of DXM to get high making teen medicine abuse a critical issue for parents and communities.  The following is a guest post by Peggy McKibbin, one of The Five Moms working to raise awareness about this issue and the fight to stop it.

Peggy is a mother of two and a high school nurse with a passion for promoting good health among teens. As one of The Five Moms for the Stop Medicine Abuse campaign and through her involvement with the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), Peggy works to educate her students and her community on the dangers of medicine abuse. Join the conversation by following Stop Medicine Abuse on Facebook and Twitter.

Join the Fight to Stop Teen Medicine Abuse by Peggy McKibbin of The Five Moms

As alarming as the statistic of one in 25 teens abusing excessive amounts of DXM is the fact that one in three teens knows someone who has abused DXM to get high. You might be asking yourself, “What is DXM?”

It stands for Dextromethorphan (DXM) and is found in many over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicines. It is a safe and effective ingredient when used as directed, but can produce harmful side effects when abused and taken in excess. Many parents make a point of talking with their teens about the dangers of abusing substances such as alcohol and marijuana, but cough medicine abuse isn’t always top of mind. That’s one of the many reasons why October is National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month. Join the fight to prevent medicine abuse by educating yourself and others on this dangerous teen trend.

Ways to Get Involved in Your Home and Community to End Medicine Abuse

Talk to your teen. Teens who learn about the risks of drugs from their parents are 50 percent less likely to use drugs. Have a conversation with your teen about the side effects of cough medicine abuse. Visit WhatisDXM.com with your teen and discuss real stories from young people who tried abusing cough medicine. Offer your teen tips for resisting and standing up against peer pressure.

Share resources and inform other adults about teen medicine abuse. Visit StopMedicineAbuse.org to find toolkits for educators, parents, law enforcement officials, school nurses, community leaders and retailers/pharmacists. The toolkits include fact sheets, presentations and other resources to help you start the conversation about teen medicine abuse. You can also host an event in your community to talk about substance abuse, treatment and intervention strategies.

Participate in the #ToMyTeen campaign. Research shows that teens who are validated by their parents are more confident and more resistant to peer pressure, which can include the pressure to participate in risky activities such as cough medicine abuse. The #ToMyTeen campaign was created to spark a conversation among parents about what is positive and rewarding about raising teens today. Share what makes you proud to be raising a teen, and support our Thunderclap campaign on Twitter, Facebook and/or Tumblr to help amplify our message for other parents!

Help to get the PACT Act on the agenda. Several states have already taken action to prevent the sale of products containing DXM to minors, making it harder for teens to purchase these products for this dangerous use, while still keeping cough medicine accessible to those who use it for its intended purpose. Make sure your state joins the effort by asking your representatives to co-sponsor the “Preventing Abuse of Cough Treatments Act” (the PACT Act).

Get active with your local chapter of Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America (CADCA). Community coalitions are comprised of parents, teachers, businesses and other community activists who are working to make their communities safer, healthier and drug-free.

Education and awareness are key to preventing teen medicine abuse. This month, take action and start this important conversation. You are also invited to join the Stop Medicine Abuse community on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for the latest tips, news and updates on teens and medicine abuse.