A growing number of young people are misusing cough syrups, cold and cough suppressants, and motion-sickness drugs to get a high.

"We feel this is going to be the next big wave of substance abuse in the country," said Steve Dnistrian, executive vice president of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. "It's limited to no one prescription drug or over-the-counter drug. It's a new and emerging category we've been watching over the last two years, and we've seen it's going to be a significant problem in the years to come if the data continue to head where they're heading."

The number of teens calling poison-control centers nationwide about cough medicine misuse has doubled in four years. Additionally, misuse of prescription drugs by teens was second only to marijuana use according to the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Some pharmacies have taken action to prevent misuse by limiting the amount of cough and cold medicines that can be purchased and by taking the items off the shelves and putting them behind the counter.

"It's clearly a serious problem that we are working hard to correct," said Michael Maves, chief executive of the American Medical Association. "And it's a difficult problem, honestly. Some of this can go on and not be noticed by parents and peers because it doesn't have the same connotation of purchasing and using drugs like heroin. It sometimes doesn't stand out like other things, in terms of truly illegal drugs, but it's no less serious."

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