Yes, honey was given for a cough a lot when I was a kid. Growing up in rural NFLD times were often tough, and money for medicine scarce. Home remedies were normal(like putting bread on a cut to draw out an infection) Some of these home remedies I still use today with my kid. If honey was not available, then a heaping spoonful of blackstrap molasses was often just as effective, although a lot harder to get down. I can't speak for everyone, but I always thought it to be effective.