[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 105 (Wednesday, September 8, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1537]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING PURDUE PHARMA AND LIFETIME LEARNING SYSTEMS FOR THEIR 
                            OUTSTANDING WORK

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 7, 2004

  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize the 
wonderful work of Purdue Pharma, L.P. and the Weekly Reader to educate 
America's youth on the dangers of prescription drug abuse.
  Purdue has partnered with Lifetime Learning Systems, publisher of 
Weekly Reader, to distribute drug abuse awareness materials, entitled 
``Painfully Obvious,'' in selected schools and classrooms throughout 
the country. Nearly 13,000 middle schools will receive these materials, 
which include a student discussion guide and a teacher's instructional 
guide, for distribution to more than 4 million fifth- to eighth-
graders. The distribution will cover students throughout the Northeast, 
South and Midwest.
  An estimated 9 million people aged 12 and older used prescription 
drugs for non-medical reasons in 1999, according to the National 
Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Also, according to the National 
Household Survey on Drug Abuse, the sharpest increases in new abusers 
of prescription drugs occur in 12-25 year olds. NIDA's 2003 Monitoring 
the Future survey, conducted amongst 8th, 10th and 12th grade high 
schoolers nationwide, found that Vicodin, a prescription drug, was the 
second most frequently reported drug used among 12th graders in high 
school, after marijuana. The same survey also found that 10.5 percent 
of 12th graders surveyed reported using Vicodin for non-medical reasons 
and 4.5 percent of 12th graders surveyed reported using OxyContin 
without a prescription. These statistics indicate a growing problem 
amongst the nation's teens. Individuals may also visit 
www.painfullyobvious.com to learn more about this important issue.
  A critical first step in the prevention of prescription drug abuse by 
young people is to equip them with knowledge and information about its 
potentially devastating effects. America's youth will be in a better 
position to make the right choices because of this effort.

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