A recent report of young people suspected of abusing "Snurf" has reignited interest on Capitol Hill in restricting bulk purchases of raw dextromethorphan and an age restriction on OTCs containing the cough suppressant.

The latest event drawing attention to DXM abuse comes from Newtown, Pa., where media outlets reported that four 10th grade students were hospitalized Sept. 8 after ingesting a substance sold online under the name Snurf. The small, pink pills are pitched on Web sites as "herbal supplements" advertised to cause mood-altering effects.

The package lists the pill's herbal ingredients as "Fevizia," "Palenzia" and "De la Amazon," all previously unheard of herbal ingredients, according to Newtown police, who confiscated the substance from one of the students. The American Herbal Products Association confirms these ingredient names appear invented.

"The initial analysis by a crime lab indicated a strong likelihood it was" DXM, police Sgt. Steve Meyers said in an e-mail.

However, "we are not definitive in claiming it as DXM," he said, maintaining that reports the pills contained DXM originated with the media. Numerous Web sources also claim Snurf contains DXM.

Newtown investigators submitted the pills to a lab for analysis and expect to receive the results within two weeks, police spokeswoman Jean Tanner said.

While the police await lab results, reports have already boosted congressional interest in DXM.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, a co-sponsor of a bill that would restrict sales of bulk DXM and place an age limit of 18 for sales of OTCs containing the ingredient, asserts the Pennsylvania Snurf reports reflect the need for legislation.

"The recent incident in Pennsylvania highlights the dangerous and increasing threat posed by prescription drug and cold medicine abuse and underscores the urgent need to pass this legislation," Grassley said. "I will continue to work in a bipartisan fashion to get this bill signed into law." Grassley currently serves as the co-chair of the International Narcotics Control Caucus.

Introduced in late 2007 by Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., the Dextromethorphan Abuse Reduction Act of 2007, S. 2274, has not moved since it was addressed in a March 2008 hearing that focused on drug abuse prevention (¹ Also see "Biden DXM Bill Includes Age Limit, Bulk Ingredient Scheduling" - Pink Sheet, 5 November, 2007., p. 6).

The bill could receive renewed attention now because it bans sales of raw DXM to entities not registered with FDA. If the Snurf confiscated in Newtown is determined to be DXM, it is likely that purchases of bulk ingredient were used to manufacture the pills.

The House has passed separate legislation introduced by Reps. Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Rick Larsen, D-Wash., to ban sales of bulk DXM, but the bill has not moved in the Senate (² Also see "Bill To Restrict Bulk DXM Sales Reintroduced In House" - Pink Sheet, 19 February, 2007., p. 12).

As of Sept.12, FDA has no information about Snurf pills or their origin, and has no record of agency officials reviewing the product.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is aware of the Newtown report, but does not conduct enforcement action concerning DXM because the drug is not considered a controlled substance, even when it is misrepresented as a street drug and not sold in an OTC retail setting, according to a DEA representative.

Concerning nonprescription drug ingredients, "DEA is pretty much limited in enforcement to the substances listed in the Combat Meth Act," such as ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, said Rogene Waite, a public affairs official for the agency.

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association has actively supported educational efforts to curb DXM and other medicine abuse, as well as the legislative initiatives to limit DXM abuse.

Most recently, CHPA, in consort with the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, provided a 16-page newspaper supplement to the 250 news outlets nationwide and online that participate in the Newspaper in Education program to educate young people and their parents about abuse of Rx and OTC drugs, the groups announced Sept. 10.

CHPA also is conducting a multi-year campaign on OTC abuse prevention with CADCA, the Parent Teacher Association and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (³ Also see "National Survey Results Add To DXM Abuse Concerns; CHPA Touts Education" - Pink Sheet, 1 January, 2007., p. 8).

- Jessica Lake (j.lake@elsevier.com)

“Snurf” Abuse Reports Revive Interest In DXM Bills

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