While the DEA is keeping a watchful eye on the abuse trends of dextromethorphan, many states are starting to take notice of the drug and its abuse. Still, most states have little or no legal guidelines regulating or restricting the use of the drug. One state that has done something is Utah, which passed a law that required pharmacies and other cough syrup vendors to place medications containing dextromethorphan behind the counter so that greater control could be placed over their sale. The passage of this law in the 1980s followed a significant increase in abuse of the drug by adolescents in the state.

Pennsylvania's drug and cosmetics-regulating body also began to have concerns about dextromethorphan and its potential for abuse in 1990. This body organized an investigation of the drug following a rash of reports in the media as well as reports from government...