So often, parents and teachers are expected to serve as the sole influential adult figures in teens’ lives. However, as members of a community we all play a role in ensuring that teens make healthy and safe choices. There are several steps that each one of us can take to help the teens in our community make the right decision about cough medicine abuse. The best part? It’s easy to make a difference. Here’s a couple ways for anyone — parents, teachers, school administrators, law enforcement, retailers, health professionals, etc. — to help prevent substance abuse and take action in his or her community:

• Teens that learn about the dangers of drug abuse from their parents are up to half as likely to abuse drugs. Give your teen the tools he or she needs to make educated decisions, or encourage your friends with teens to do so.
• Visit DXMStories.com with a teen and listen to the real-life stories of teens who have abused cough medicine.
• Visiting the doctor soon? Bring in this fact sheet about medicine abuse to distribute among physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, etc. at the practice.
• If you are a health professional, talk to your patients and their parents about medicine abuse, discuss the dangers, and share the health risks involved.

These are just a few of ways to educate your community about the dangers of medicine abuse. Have any other ideas about how to spread the message? Share them on our Facebook page!