[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 53 (Friday, March 19, 2010)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 13215-13216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-6222]


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                         Presidential Documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 53 / Friday, March 19, 2010 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 13215]]

                Proclamation 8484 of March 15, 2010

                
National Poison Prevention Week, 2010

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Since 1962, during National Poison Prevention Week we 
                alert American families about the dangers of accidental 
                poisonings and provide information on safety measures 
                that can prevent senseless injuries and deaths. With 
                nearly two million poison exposures reported each year, 
                we must take every precaution to guard against these 
                preventable tragedies.

                Sadly, more than half of all reported poisonings 
                involve children under the age of six, and the vast 
                majority take place in the home. Parents should keep 
                household chemicals and medicines in child-proof 
                containers, beyond the reach of their children. Thanks 
                to safety regulations and awareness campaigns like 
                National Poison Prevention Week, childhood death rates 
                from unintentional poisonings have fallen considerably. 
                However, adult death rates have steadily risen in 
                recent years.

                We must each remember to read labels thoroughly before 
                taking medications, to keep medicines in their original 
                packaging, and to dispose of them properly. Consulting 
                a physician before combining prescription drugs or 
                using them with alcohol also reduces our risks.

                In the event of an accidental poisoning, crucial 
                information and immediate action can save lives. 
                Individuals can call the toll-free national poison 
                control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 to be connected to 
                one of dozens of local poison control centers, which 
                are open 24 hours every day. These centers provide 
                emergency assistance, offer guidance on poison 
                prevention, and answer questions concerning potential 
                exposure.

                To encourage Americans to learn more about the dangers 
                of accidental poisonings and to take appropriate 
                preventive measures, the Congress, by joint resolution 
                approved September 26, 1961, as amended (75 Stat. 681), 
                has authorized and requested the President to issue a 
                proclamation designating the third week of March each 
                year as ``National Poison Prevention Week.''

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, do hereby proclaim the third 
                week of March of each year as National Poison 
                Prevention Week. I call upon all Americans to observe 
                this week by taking actions to protect their families 
                from hazardous household materials and from the misuse 
                of prescription medications.

[[Page 13216]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2010-6222
Filed 3-18-10; 8:45 am]
Bill code 3195-W0-P