The most commonly abused over the counter drug right now is called dextromethorphan, also referred to as DXM. Some of the slang terms are robo-tripping, triple C, skittling. Dextromethorphan, is a non-narcotic cough suppressant, so it is almost ubiquitously present in all kinds of cough and cold products that you find over-the-counter. When you take it according to dose, it's perfectly safe and effective. If you abuse it, it gets really dangerous, really fast. When you take anywhere from 8-24 times the recommended dose, the resulting drug high includes, hallucinations, nausea, delirium, panic attacks, addiction, and possibly death. Now what's really good, in the state of California, as of January 1, 2012, it's illegal to sell DXM containing medications to children under 18 without a prescription. You can also do a little bit more work. Talk with your kids at a very young age about dosages and the risk of overdose, even with over-the-counter medications. Also, you might want to be vigilant about: Are there empty cough and cold medication bottles around the house, and no one sick in the house? Are there a bunch of empty blister packs in my trashcan and no explanation as to why they are there. You want to monitor the use of medications in the house. Also, you want to fall back to the old rule, communication. When you talk to your kids regularly, over time, you can educate them about drug use, and the choices you do expect from them; even when it pertains to over-the-counter drugs.