Zhou Lihui tells parents and teenagers about the dangers of cough syrup abuse at an event organized by the Dian Dian Teenage Drug Addiction Care Center.(Photo: China Daily)
Dian Dian Teenage Drug Addiction Care Center presents a play at Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center on July 12 during the China Charity Fair. (Photo: China Daily)
A high flyer in the corporate world quits her job to set up a center to help teenagers addicted to cough syrup. Huang Yuli reports in Shenzhen.
For nearly seven years, Zhou Lihui's son would extort money from her and threaten to commit suicide whenever she did not accede to his demands. Tan Deng was a cough syrup addict, who needed the money to feed his addiction.
Although the 21-year-old has kicked his habit, the horrible experience has prompted Zhou to set up the Dian Dian Teenage Drug Addiction Care Center, to publicize the dangers of cough syrup abuse, as well as to help teenage addicts and their families.
"It is safe to take the right dosage of cough syrups such as Anticol. If you take the recommended dosage, like 10 ml, three times a day, it's OK," says Zhou, 48, who has become an expert on the issue. "But if you drink a whole bottle (120 ml) or several bottles at a time, or mix it with soft drinks like Sprite or Cola, and continue drinking it for several days, you will get addicted. This applies to all cough syrups containing codeine."
