[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 23, 2011)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 16523-16524]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7057]



[[Page 16521]]

Vol. 76

Wednesday,

No. 56

March 23, 2011

Part III





The President





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Proclamation 8638--National Poison Prevention Week, 2011
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  Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 56 / Wednesday, March 23, 2011 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 16523]]

                Proclamation 8638 of March 18, 2011

                
National Poison Prevention Week, 2011

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Each day, emergency rooms treat nearly 2,000 Americans 
                for accidental poisonings, and dozens die as a result 
                of ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise exposing 
                themselves to poisonous substances. In many cases, 
                these tragic incidents are preventable. During National 
                Poison Prevention Week, I encourage all Americans to 
                identify possible dangers in the home, take action to 
                address poisoning hazards, and learn how to respond if 
                a poison emergency should occur.

                Children are particularly susceptible to unintentional 
                poisoning. More than half of all reported poison 
                exposures involve children under the age of six, and 
                many occur when unsupervised children find and consume 
                medicines or harmful chemicals. Unintentional 
                poisonings among young people often occur when misusing 
                or abusing prescription medications such as pain 
                killers, sedatives, and stimulants taken from a home 
                medicine cabinet. Parents and caregivers can help 
                prevent these injuries by taking simple steps to secure 
                medications and other dangerous materials including 
                resealing child-resistant containers, placing drugs and 
                toxic chemicals out of reach of children, and storing 
                all these products in locked or childproof cabinets.

                Sadly, death rates from unintentional poisonings have 
                increased steadily in recent years. Many adult 
                poisonings stem from accidental or intentional exposure 
                to over-the-counter or prescription drugs. These can be 
                avoided by reading labels before taking medications, 
                storing medicines in their original containers, and 
                safely disposing of unused prescription medication. 
                These actions can reduce the risk posed by medications 
                with abuse potential. All Americans can help prevent 
                needless harm from hazardous materials by becoming more 
                aware of the dangers of poisonings and the ways we can 
                prevent and respond to these incidents.

                In the event of an accidental poisoning, quick action 
                can prevent serious injury and save lives. If 
                confronted with a suspected poisoning, individuals 
                should call the national poison control hotline at 1-
                800-222-1222. I encourage families to post this number 
                near their home telephone, which connects callers to 
                potentially life-saving information at local and 
                regional poison control centers 24 hours a day, seven 
                days a week.

                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 March 20 
                through March 26, 2011, 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 misuse of 
                prescription medications.

[[Page 16524]]

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

[FR Doc. 2011-7057
Filed 3-22-11; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3195-W1-P