[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 91 (Thursday, June 7, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7387-S7388]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 225--DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2007 AS 
              ``NATIONAL MEDICINE ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH''

  Mr. BIDEN (for himself and Mr. Grassley) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

[[Page S7388]]

                              S. Res. 225

       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
       Resolved, 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.

  Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a resolution 
marking August 2007 as National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month. The 
intentional misuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs has 
reached troubling levels. This resolution takes an important step in 
raising teens' and parents' awareness of the problem.
  While recent studies indicate that the use of illegal drugs has 
declined somewhat over the past 5 years, the excessive use of legally 
available drugs has skyrocketed during the same period. The figures 
speak for themselves: 1 in 5 teens has misused prescription drugs, and 
more people age 12 or older have recently started misusing prescription 
pain relievers than smoking marijuana.
  The numbers are also troubling for abuse of over-the-counter cough 
and cold medicines. While over-the-counter and prescription medicines 
are safe, effective, and potentially lifesaving when used properly, the 
abuse and recreational use of these medicines can be lethal. Recent 
studies indicate that 1 in 10 young people aged 12 through 17, or 2.4 
million kids, have intentionally abused cough medicine to get high off 
of its active ingredient, Dextromethorphan. This trend is dangerous, 
and it must stop.
  The problem is multifaceted, but one critical element of the solution 
is clear: educating teens and parents about the grave dangers of 
medicine abuse.
  The way I see it, the problem of non-medical use of prescription and 
over-the-counter drugs can be chalked up to two key factors. First, too 
many teens are under the impression that ``legal'' drugs are safe 
anytime, in any dose, and even without a prescription or doctor 
supervision. They are gravely mistaken. Excessive prescription drug use 
can lead to dependency, overdose, and even death, if not prescribed and 
monitored by a physician.
  Second, these drugs are cheap and easy to obtain. A bottle of cough 
syrup costs a few dollars and a prescription drug can be taken from a 
medicine cabinet for free. A February 2007 report released by the 
Office of National Drug Control Policy reveals that a shocking 47 
percent of youth interviewed said they got their prescription drugs for 
free from a relative or friend. The last thing a parent wants is to 
become his or her child's ``dealer.'' But that is precisely what 
happens when they leave medications lying around at home. Hence, these 
two factors, a false perception of the dangers and a cheap, readily 
accessible high, have put our teens in danger, and we must act to 
protect them.
  National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month takes an important step to 
raise public awareness about the dangers that misuse of these drugs 
pose by promoting the message that over-the-counter and prescription 
medicines must be taken only as labeled or prescribed, and that when 
used recreationally or in large doses they can have serious and life-
threatening consequences. It reminds parents to educate themselves 
about this problem and talk to their children about all types of 
substance abuse, and it encourages national, State, and local officials 
to increase awareness of this disturbing trend.

  I have worked and continue to work in consultation with the Consumer 
Health Care Products Association and the Community Anti-Drug Coalition 
of America, to reverse this trend, and I applaud the important steps 
that these groups have taken. Among other initiatives, they have 
created educational toolkits, such as A Dose of Prevention: Stopping 
Cough Medicine Abuse Before It Starts, which include 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.
  I also commend the nonprofit Partnership for Drug-Free America and 
its community alliance and affiliate partners for undertaking a 
nationwide prevention campaign. Their campaign utilizes research-based 
educational advertisements, public relations, news media and the 
Internet to inform parents about the prevalence of intentional abuse of 
medicines among teens, empowering parents to effectively communicate 
the facts of this dangerous trend to their children and to take 
necessary steps to keep prescription and over-the-counter medicines 
safely in their homes.
  Prevention is a key component of the solution, and education is a key 
component of prevention. We've got to do our best to raise awareness on 
this matter, and reverse the worrisome trend of increasing over-the-
counter and prescription drug misuse. This resolution takes an 
important step towards achieving that goal.

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