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Can Cough Remedy Lead to Alcoholism?

Q. I want to respond to your reader who wanted to know why you would disagree with using bourbon as an effective cough suppressant for children.

When I was a child, my mother would give me a tablespoon of whiskey when I had a stomachache. Today, at the age of 42, guess what I am? Yep, an alcoholic (in recovery thank my higher power).

Was the remedy the cause of my alcoholism? I can't help but wonder. A child should never be given alcohol. Period.

A. We’ve heard from readers on both sides of this issue. One reminisced: “My grandparents used the same cough remedy in the 1930's–bourbon, honey and freshly squeezed lemon juice. I still use it.”

Pediatricians caution parents not to use cough medicines for young children (under 6) because there is no evidence that they work. That is especially true of alcohol-containing cough medicines, home-made or over the counter.

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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