In the blink of an eye, my entire life had changed. My oldest son, then 18-years-old, was arrested for armed robbery while under the influence of a mixture of over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine and marijuana. He is now spending the next 13 years in prison because of his actions. I was blindsided to say the least. How could something like this happen to my son? We were a loving, close-knit family. How did we not recognize the warning signs? I learned the hard way through my son's experience that drug abuse can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. And ever since that moment, I decided I wanted to do everything I can to make sure that other parents never had to experience such tragedy. I've spent the past four years sharing my story, talking with parents, and arming them with the education they need to protect their children. Through my personal experience, I have realized that the best way to protect our children is to be educated. Had I known about cough medicine abuse, its warning signs, and the ways to prevent it, perhaps my son would not have gone down that path. But the truth is, I was naive and never imagined that kids would be abusing cough medicines to get high. The truth is that they are. And, as a mom who has faced that reality, I can safely say that it should be every parent's priority to protect his or her children from drug abuse Find out more about cough medicine abuse, and, please, don't keep this information to yourself. Help me fulfill my dream of ensuring that no other parent experiences my tragedy. Share your knowledge with other parents.