Table II.

Examples of medicines/therapeutic groups implicated in OTC abuse

Medicine/therapeutic group	Countries identified
Codeine or other opiate containing products (compound analgesics, cough medicines)	Australia, France, Jordan, India, Hungary, Palestine, UK, South Africa
Non-opiate cough medicines (e.g. dextromethorphan)	France, Hungary, USA
Sedative antihistamines (e.g. diphenhydramine)	France, Hungary, Jordan, UK, USA
Decongestants (e.g. pseudoephedrine)	France, Jordan, UK, USA
Laxatives	France, Jordan, UK
NRT	USA

Note: OTC, over-the-counter; NRT, nicotine replacement therapy; GP, general practitioner.