We all have seen opinion stories and editorials in our newspapers. They are located just opposite the editorial page, which give them their name “op-ed.” Writing an op-ed piece is a media strategy to get the word out about OTC cough medicine abuse, shed light on your opinion on the matter, and rally support for your local initiative. Your goal is to express the viewpoint of your coalition, provide the facts, as well as motivating reasons for your community—particularly parents—to take action.

The op-ed should be 500 words, which is about one page, single-spaced. Keep it short and to the point, as your goal is to capture people’s attention and encourage them to take action. Although you should provide some national statistics, what will make your op-ed engaging is to localize the story, providing information about specific cough medicine abuse cases in your community.

 

 

Tasks

• Find out who the editorial page editor of your newspaper is.
• Call the editor to talk with him/her about your op-ed piece. You should call well in advance—perhaps even up to one to two months prior to when you want the op-ed to appear—as you might be among hundreds of others who are pitching editorial ideas.
• Obtain from the editor specific information concerning the length of the piece, date of submission, and how it should be submitted (e.g., e-mail, fax, “snail-mail”).
• Write the op-ed (at the end of piece, be sure to put in italics your name, title, daytime phone number, e-mail address, and a line explaining who you are and why you are writing about cough medicine abuse).
• Write a cover letter to accompany the op-ed piece, reminding the editor of your previous discussions, as well as any other contact you both might have had. It is also an opportunity to re-emphasize the importance of calling attention to this growing drug abuse problem in your community.
• Wait about a week, and follow-up with a telephone call.

 

Sample Op-Ed

Word Count
Date

LOCAL ANTI-DRUG COALITION URGES COMMUNITY TO TAKE ACTION
AGAINST TEEN COUGH MEDICINE ABUSE

The latest and among the most insidious drug abuse problems has arisen among teens and is creeping across America, affecting communities like ours everywhere. There are codenames for it: Skittles, Robo, Triple C's, Dex, Tussin, Vitamin D” to mention a few. And it is the practice of getting high by taking excessive doses of over-the-counter (OTC) cough medications. These are the same remedies that we commonly stock in our medicine cabinets, and are readily available in drugstores and supermarkets everywhere.

The “high” is caused by dextromethorphan, known familiarly as DXM, and is an active ingredient in more than 100 nonprescription cough syrups, tablets, and gel caps like Dimetapp DM, Robitussin, Sudafed and Vicks 44. A normal dose of cough medicine
is 15–30 milligrams. Remarkably, kids are sometimes ingesting 25–50 times the recommended doses.

DXM, when used as directed, has a long history of being safe and effective. However, when taken in large doses, it can produce an hallucinogenic high, along with dangerous side effects, caused by the DXM itself or other active ingredients in the medicine. Among them are stomach pain and heart problems, as well as delusions, depression, high blood pressure, hot/cold flashes, loss of consciousness, nausea and vomiting, numbness, rashes, and seizures.

Certainly as a community, we want to ensure that OTC cough and cold medicines containing DXM remain accessible to those who need them. However, the potential for abuse among youth demands our immediate attention. Toward that end, a local coalition comprised of local organizations and concerned individuals have joined together to mobilize the community to fight against this growing epidemic.

Authorities tell us that DXM overdoses typically occur in clusters, as word about the “high” spreads in a community's middle and high schools. According to a recent study, it’s estimated that one out of 10 people aged 12 to 17—that’s 2.4 million kids from all backgrounds and geographic areas—say that they have taken cough remedies to get high. In our community alone, [INSERT LOCAL STATISTICAL INFORMATION HERE].

It is vital that adults, particularly parents be aware of the possible signs of abuse. A red flag should be raised if you see your child making frequent purchases of OTC cough preparations from the same or different stores, or from the Internet (for example, note the arrival of unexpected packages); hides cough medicine bottles in his/her bedroom; is exhibiting odd behavior; has declining grades; a loss of interest in friends and activities; or is experiencing hallucinations and/or any of the side effects mentioned above.
Be vigilant about your medicine cabinets. Know what’s in there, keep track of your medicines, and discard OTC and prescription medications that you don’t need. If you suspect a problem, immediately contact a local substance abuse prevention/intervention professional, such as your pediatrician, family doctor. The [NAME OF COALITION] can also direct you toward help.

The time is to educate and act is now. Everything depends on it, for while our children make up only 25 percent of our national population, they represent 100 percent of our future. If you are interested in joining in our effort or want information, please contact
the Coalition.

[Your full name] is [insert your title/affiliation or other role in the substance use disorder field].