Whereas over-the-counter and prescription medicines are
extremely safe, effective, and potentially lifesaving when used properly, but
the abuse and recreational use of these medicines can be extremely dangerous
and produce serious side effects;
Whereas 6,400,000 individuals who are age 12 or older
reported using prescription medicines non-medically in a recently sampled
month, and abuse of prescription medications such as pain relievers,
tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives is second only to marijuana, the
number 1 illegal drug of abuse in the United States;
Whereas, recent studies indicate that 1 in 10 youth ages
12 through 17, or 2,400,000 children, has intentionally abused cough medicine
to get high from its dextromethorphan ingredient, and 1 in 5 young adults
(4,500,000) has used prescription medicines non-medically;
Whereas, according to research from the Partnership for a
Drug-Free America, more than 1/3 of teens mistakenly
believe that taking prescription drugs, even if not prescribed by a doctor, is
much safer than using street drugs;
Whereas teens’ and parents’ lack of understanding of the
potential harms of these powerful medicines makes it more critical than ever to
raise public awareness about the dangers of their misuse;
Whereas, when prescription drugs are misused, they are
most often obtained through friends and relatives, but are also obtained
through rogue Internet pharmacies;
Whereas parents should be aware that the Internet gives
teens access to websites that promote medicine misuse;
Whereas National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month promotes
the message that over-the-counter and prescription medicines are to be taken
only as labeled or prescribed, and when used recreationally or in large doses
can have serious and life-threatening consequences;
Whereas National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month will
encourage parents to educate themselves about this problem and talk to their
teens about all types of substance abuse;
Whereas observance of National Medicine Abuse Awareness
Month should be encouraged at the national, State, and local levels to increase
awareness of the rising misuse of medicines;
Whereas some groups, such as the Consumer Healthcare
Products Association and the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America, have
taken important proactive steps like creating educational toolkits, such as
A Dose of Prevention: Stopping Cough Medicine Abuse Before it
Starts
, which includes guides to educate parents, teachers, law
enforcement officials, doctors and healthcare professionals, and retailers
about the potential harms of cough and cold medicines and over-the-counter drug
abuse;
Whereas the nonprofit Partnership for a Drug-Free America
and its community alliance and affiliate partners have undertaken a nationwide
prevention campaign utilizing research-based educational advertisements, public
relations and news media, and the Internet to inform parents about the negative
teen behavior of intentional abuse of medicines so that parents are empowered
to effectively communicate the facts of this dangerous trend with their teens
and to take necessary steps to safeguard prescription and over-the-counter
medicines in their homes; and
Whereas educating the public on the dangers of medicine
abuse and promoting prevention is a critical component of what must be a
multi-pronged effort to curb this disturbing rise in over-the-counter and cough
medicine misuse: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
(1)designates the
month of August 2007 as National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month
;
and
(2)urges communities
to carry out appropriate programs and activities to educate parents and youth
of the potential dangers associated with medicine abuse.
June 21, 2007
Reported without amendment