the drops come in an array of interesting flavors, like fennel & cinnamon or ginger with echinacea, which may be a nice break from the standard lemon, honey, or cherry cough drop. Strong flavor ...

So what does work? The ACS recommends drinking plenty of fluids, running a humidifier or taking a steamy shower, and sucking on cough drops – or just a hard candy – to get some relief.

For more than a century, the bearded visages of the Smith Brothers have stared silently from the front of their cough drop boxes, promising candylike flavor and some vague medicinal relief.

So what does work? The ACS recommends drinking plenty of fluids, running a humidifier or taking a steamy shower, and sucking on cough drops – or just a hard candy – to get some relief.