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Tennessee Bans Sales Of Some Cough Syrups To Minors

Lawmakers have voted to ban sales of dextromethorphan to people under 18. Credit: Luke Hollins via Flickr
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Tennesseans will soon face more restrictions on cold medicines, after lawmakers voted Thursday to ban sales of some cough syrups to minors.

The medicines, which contain the drug dextromethorphan and include brands such as Robitussin DM, Mucinex DM and Tanafed DXM, will remain on store shelves. But buyers will have to show ID, especially if clerks think they’re under 30.

Officials worry that teenagers, in particular, are drinking DM cough syrups to get high.

The move comes a year after Tennessee placed tight limits on pseudoephedrine, a decongestant that can be used to make methamphetamine.

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Chas Sisk, Senior Editor

Chas joined WPLN in 2015 and became an editor in 2018. Previously, he covered state politics for Nashville Public Radio and The Tennessean, and he’s also reported on communities, politics and business for a variety of publications in Massachusetts, New York and Washington, D.C. Chas grew up in South Carolina and attended Columbia University, where he studied economics and journalism.

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