Johnson-Matsui DXM Abuse Prevention Act Passes as Part of Energy & Commerce Committee Action on Opioid and Substance Abuse Crisis

Statement

Bipartisan legislation authored by Reps. Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) and Doris Matsui (D-CA), the DXM Abuse Prevention Act, passed the full House Energy and Commerce Committee. This legislation builds on momentum and advocacy efforts by states and stakeholders to curb teen abuse of over-the-counter cough medicines containing the cough suppressant dextromethorphan, commonly referred to as DXM. The bill would establish a national age 18 requirement for the purchase of medicines containing DXM.

This legislation was one of 12 bills passed by the committee to address the opioid and drug abuse crisis facing America.

Every year, millions of Americans use over-the-counter cough and cold medications containing DXM. Though most of these medications are used to alleviate the common cold, it is also being abused by young people, primarily aged 13-17 - about 1 in 30 kids intentionally misuse over-the-counter cough medicine. It's readily available, and kids mistakenly think that if it's an over the counter medicine it can't hurt them. Unfortunately, they are wrong.

"I am encouraged by effective measures taken by both the private sector and states to curb this behavior -- currently 10 states have laws on the books restricting sales to those under the age of 18, but there is more work to be done. This bill helps close the gap in addressing the serious problem of teen abuse of DXM medications," said Bill Johnson. "We want to make sure that we're keeping these cough medicines available to the majority of Americans that use them to treat their cold or flu. But, we should also work to keep kids from developing addictive behaviors by abusing such substances at such an early age, often in plain sight, and to bring parental awareness to the potential hazards of this medication."

"To date, we've had great engagement from stakeholders in crafting a bill to curb this behavior in a simple and effective way. And I look forward to continuing these discussions and refining the bill's language as it makes its way to the House floor.

"I am proud to be part of the Committee's efforts this week to tackle the larger opioid crisis, a growing problem in far too many communities across the country, and the state of Ohio, particularly Eastern and Southeastern Ohio. Tackling the opioid crisis is not something we can solve alone - we must work together. Its far-reaching impact has brought Members together from all corners of the country and from both sides of the aisle. I am honored to be a part of these important efforts."

Congresswoman Doris Matsui issued the following statement on the passage of the bill:

"The passage of the DXM Abuse Prevention Act as part of our Committee's work on opioid and other substance abuse is an important step forward," said Congresswoman Doris Matsui. "The Act is a common sense solution to curb the public health consequences of DXM abuse by teens, and I look forward to working with stakeholders to refine this legislation as it advances to the House floor. Retailers and manufacturers have stepped up to curb the abuse of DXM by teens through education and awareness. Ten states and counting, including California, have passed legislation restricting sales of DXM to individuals age 18 and under. This bipartisan bill extends those good faith efforts. By restricting the sale of products with DXM to adults over age 18 nationwide, we ensure that cough medicine remains easily accessible to those that use it appropriately and inaccessible to those who seek to abuse it."

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