III 112th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 564 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 19, 2012 Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Portman, Mr. Coons, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Casey) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Designating the month of October 2012 as National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month.

Whereas over-the-counter and prescription medicines approved by the Food and Drug Administration have been determined to be safe and effective when used properly; Whereas the misuse or abuse of these medicines can be extremely dangerous and produce serious side effects; Whereas the Office of National Drug Control Policy reports that medicine abuse is the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified medicine abuse as an epidemic; Whereas the 2011 Monitoring the Future survey, funded by the National Institutes of Health, and the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, both illustrate that, after marijuana, over-the-counter and prescription medicines account for the most frequently abused drugs among 12th graders; Whereas the access teenagers often have to prescription medicines in home medicine cabinets and the lack of understanding by teenagers of the potential harms of these powerful medicines make it more critical than ever to raise public awareness about the dangers of medicine abuse; Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration and many State and local law enforcement agencies have established drug disposal programs (commonly referred to as take-back programs) to facilitate the collection and destruction of unused, unwanted, or expired medications, thereby helping to take outdated or unused medications off household shelves and out of the reach of children and teenagers; Whereas National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month promotes the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 that using such medicines to get high or in large doses can cause serious or life-threatening consequences; Whereas observance of National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month should be encouraged at the national, state, and local levels to increase awareness of the abuse of medicines; Whereas a nationwide prevention and education campaign has been launched by the national organization that represents 5,000 anti-drug coalitions nationwide, along with the association representing makers of over-the-counter medicines, to provide local coalitions with tools, training, and outreach strategies to engage and educate parents, grandparents, teachers, law enforcement officials, retailers, doctors, and other healthcare professionals about the potential harms of cough medicine abuse; and Whereas educating the public about the dangers of medicine abuse, encouraging parents to talk about medicine abuse with their teenagers, mobilizing parents to safeguard their home medicine cabinets, and promoting abuse prevention are critical components of what must be a multi-pronged effort to curb over-the-counter and prescription medicine abuse: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1)designates the month of October 2012 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.