[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 129 (Monday, September 14, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9330-S9331]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 263--DESIGNATING OCTOBER 2009 AS ``NATIONAL MEDICINE 
                        ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH''

  Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. Durbin, and Mrs. Feinstein) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary.

                              S. Res. 263

       Whereas over-the-counter and prescription medicines are 
     extremely safe, effective, and potentially lifesaving when 
     used properly;
       Whereas the abuse and recreational use of over-the-counter 
     and prescription medicines can be extremely dangerous and 
     produce serious side effects;
       Whereas during a recently sampled month, approximately 
     7,000,000 individuals 12 years of age and older reported 
     using prescription psychotherapeutic medicines for non-
     medical purposes;
       Whereas prescription medications such as pain relievers, 
     tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives are second only to 
     marijuana as the most abused drug in the United States;
       Whereas recent studies indicate that 2,500,000 children 
     between 12 and 17 years of age, or 1 out of every 10 
     children, have intentionally abused cough medicine to get 
     high from the ingredient dextromethorphan;
       Whereas 4,700,000 young adults, or 1 out of every 5 young 
     men and women, have used prescription medicines for non-
     medical purposes;
       Whereas in 2008, the National Institute on Drug Abuse 
     estimated that the rates for intentional abuse of cough 
     medicine among eighth, tenth, and twelfth graders stood at 
     3.6 percent, 5.3 percent, and 5.5 percent, respectively;
       Whereas according to research from the Partnership for a 
     Drug-Free America, more than \1/3\rd of teenagers mistakenly 
     believe that taking prescription drugs, even if not 
     prescribed by a doctor, is much safer than using street 
     drugs;
       Whereas the lack of understanding by teenagers and parents 
     of the potential harms of these powerful medicines makes it 
     more critical than ever to raise public awareness about the 
     dangers of their abuse;
       Whereas when prescription drugs are abused, they are most 
     often obtained through friends and relatives, but can also be 
     obtained through rogue internet pharmacies;
       Whereas parents should be aware that the Internet gives 
     teenagers access to websites that promote abuse of medicines;
       Whereas National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month promotes 
     the message that over-the-counter and prescription medicines 
     should be taken only as labeled or prescribed, and that 
     taking over-the-counter and prescription medicines for 
     recreational use 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 children 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 abuse of 
     medicines;
       Whereas educational toolkits and training methods have been 
     developed on how to best engage and educate parents and 
     grandparents, teachers, law enforcement officials, doctors 
     and health care professionals, and retailers about the 
     potential harms of cough medicine abuse; 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 the disturbing 
     rise in medicine abuse: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates October 2009 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. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I am pleased to submit a resolution 
designating the month of October, 2009 as the National Medicine Abuse 
Awareness Month. The abuse of prescription drugs and cold medicine is 
currently the fastest growing drug abuse trend in the country. 
According to the most recent National Survey of Drug Use and Health, 
NSDUH, nearly 7 million people have admitted to using controlled 
substances without a doctor's prescription. People between the ages of 
12 and 25 are the most common group to abuse these drugs. However, more 
and more people are dying because of this abuse. The Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention report that the unintentional deaths 
involving prescription narcotics increased 117 percent from the years 
2001 to 2005.
  Abuse of over-the-counter, OTC, cough and cold medicines is also 
alarming. While these common cold medicines are safe and effective if 
used properly, the abuse of these medicines can also be destructive. 
According to a study conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free 
America, nearly one in ten young people between the ages of 12 and 17 
have intentionally abused cough medicine to get high off its main 
ingredient Dextromethorphan. These are statistics that can no longer be 
ignored.
  Millions of Americans use these medicines every year to treat a 
variety of symptoms due to injury, depression, insomnia, and the 
effects of the common cold. Many legitimate users of these drugs often 
do not use as much medication as the prescription contains. As a 
result, these drugs remain in the family medicine cabinet for months or 
years because people forget about them or do not know how to properly 
dispose of them. However, many of these drugs, when not properly used 
or administered, are just as addictive and deadly as street drugs like 
methamphetamine or cocaine.
  According to the NSDUH, more than half of the people who abuse these 
drugs reported that they obtained OTC and prescription drugs from a 
friend or relative or from the family medicine cabinet. As a result, 
groups like the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, the Consumer 
Healthcare Products Association, and the Partnership for a Drug-Free 
America have been reaching out to communities

[[Page S9331]]

throughout the nation to raise awareness of this growing drug abuse 
trend and encourage communities to tackle the problem head on. Many 
community anti-drug coalitions, public health officials, and law 
enforcement officials have been holding town halls, organizing 
community ``clean out your medicine cabinet'' events, and holding many 
other events to raise awareness of this growing abuse in an effort to 
reverse this trend.
  We can stop the growing trend of medicine abuse in its tracks, but it 
will require all sectors of the community to join together to make it 
happen. The National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month Resolution promotes 
the message that over-the-counter and prescription medicines must be 
taken as directed, and when used recreationally or in large doses they 
can have serious and deadly consequences. This resolution will help 
remind parents that access to drugs that are abused doesn't just happen 
in alleys and on the streets, but can often occur right in the home. I 
urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.

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