Dilaudid cough syrup in the USA and Canada is a scheduled II controlled drug as it has 1 mg of hydromorohone per 5ml of cough solution .. It never was over the counter in the last 50+ yrs... You may be confused with some Meds like robitussin AC which has only 10mg of CODIENE in it per 30ml of syrup and thus is a controlled 5 script and you can sign for it at some states pharmacy counter!! ## I'm not sure who suggested otherwise to you, but Dilaudid Cough Syrup (guaifenesin + hydromorphone) is definitely regarded as a controlled substance - available by prescription-only. Perhaps other countries are more liberal about its presence over the counter, due to the guaifenesin, but at least here in the US it requires a doctor's script (probably because of dilaudid's high potential ...