The medicine is now available over the counter, but it may soon become a controlled substance, according to the FDA. This is because some people ingest cough syrup containing Dextromethorphan for "robo-tripping" purposes. Manufacturers cite that fewer patients would be willing to see a physician for a simple cold and cough prescription, and thus would skip treatment, exacerbating a common and usually harmless condition, if cough syrups were restricted and made a prescription drug.