It is hard to pinpoint the exact point Robitussin broke out into the public consciousness. However, sometime in the early-to-mid 90s is generally the accepted range. During which period, it became fashionable for preteens to experiment with drugs. Lacking the funds to purchase any of the "real" drugs, they began experimenting with household items. It was this intrepid group of middleschoolers that gave the world kitten huffing, glue sniffing, and getting high off spray paint, among other things.