Dextromethorphan Distribution Act of 2006
DEXTROMETHORPHAN DISTRIBUTION ACT OF 2006 -- (House of Representatives - December 06, 2006)
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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Dextromethorphan Destruction Act.
DXM is a major ingredient in many over-the-counter cold medicines and is perfectly safe when used correctly. However, when taken in large amounts in its powdered form, it can cause hallucinations, brain damage, seizures and even death. DXM is not available to the public in its pure powder form but can be obtained.
Unfortunately, as our Nation's kids search for ways to get high, they have begun abusing both cough syrup and pure DXM purchased over the Internet. As the parent of two young boys, I am concerned about the growing number of teens consuming unfinished DXM. According for the Partnership for Drug-Free America, one out of 11 teenagers used cough medicines to get high last year. Substance abuse experts have noticed sporadic reports of teens intentionally obtaining unfinished DXM to get high by consuming large amounts of powder or mixing it with other drugs or alcohol.
In April 2005, two teenagers in my district overdosed on DXM they had purchased online and died. The investigation of their deaths showed that the teenagers had ordered the drug over the Internet from two men in Indiana who had set up shop in their garage. Three other kids from Florida and Virginia also died from overdosing on DXM they had ordered from the same two men.
This is a simple piece of legislation that requires anyone who purchases bulk DXM to be registered with the FDA. This legislation is commonsense legislation. The only people who should be buying DXM in bulk are those who manufacture cough and cold medicines. We must protect our kids from a new form of drug dealer, dealers, men like these folks in Indiana who decided they could make money by selling DXM to the two teens in my district.
This legislation send a strong message to individuals who are legally distributing DXM to our teenagers for recreational use. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' for this simple, commonsense legislation that will keep our kids safer.
I also want to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton) for his work in drafting this bill and making sure that it made it here to the floor today.
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