[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 16474-16475]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                NATIONAL MEDICINE ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, as Chairman of the Senate Caucus on 
International Narcotics Control, I rise in strong support of efforts 
being made across the country to reduce prescription drug abuse as part 
of National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month. In

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California, and throughout the country, the misuse and abuse of 
prescription and over the counter drugs is a significant problem. While 
the consequences are tragic and profound, they are also preventable.
  According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, prescription 
drug abuse is our Nation's fastest-growing drug problem. The U.S. 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's 2012 
National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that over the past decade, 
the non-medical use of prescription drugs among persons 12 years or 
older rose from 1.9 million in 2002 to 11.1 million in 2011. The 2012 
National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that the abuse of 
prescription medications such as pain killers, tranquilizers, 
stimulants, and sedatives is second only to marijuana, the No. 1 abused 
drug in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control have 
classified prescription drug abuse as an epidemic.
  To combat the epidemic of prescription drug and over the counter 
medicine abuse, many community anti-drug coalitions are working to 
raise awareness about the negative consequences associated with the 
misuse of these drugs.
  The North Coastal Prevention Coalition in California is just one 
example of a coalition pushing back against this problem. Together with 
San Diego County's Prescription Drug Task Force, the Coalition has 
worked to create county-wide Pain Prescribing Guidelines. They have 
helped facilitate National Take Back Days during which individuals are 
able to turn over unused prescription drugs. They also developed and 
disseminated a brochure on ``Safe Pain Prescribing'' to emergency room 
physicians.
  I would like to acknowledge the critical efforts of the North Coastal 
Prevention Coalition and other anti-drug coalitions throughout the 
country in raising awareness about and combating the misuse of 
prescription medications. By designating October 2013 as National 
Medicine Abuse Awareness Month, Americans are able to reaffirm our 
national, state and local level commitment to living healthy, drug-free 
lives.

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