[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 118, 108th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

Proclamation 7763 of March 19, 2004


 
National Poison Prevention Week, 2004

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

Each year, approximately 1 million calls to poison control centers are made because children may have ingested harmful substances. The National
Poison Prevention Week Council organizes activities annually to raise
awareness of the danger of unintentional poisoning and to educate adults
about how to avoid and handle these emergencies.
Since the first National Poison Prevention Week in 1962, our Nation has
taken important steps to protect children from consuming inappropriate
medicines or household chemicals by heightening awareness, supporting
poison control centers, and improving packaging. In December, I signed
the Poison Control Center Enhancement and Awareness Act Amendments of
2003 to provide assistance for poison prevention programs and to
stabilize the funding of regional poison control centers. This measure
supports those who are working to reduce poisonings in America and to
improve the safety and health of all Americans.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission requires child-resistant
packaging for certain toxic medicines and chemicals. Because packaging
is never completely child-proof, adults should also lock medicines and
chemicals out of the reach of children.

[[Page 4113]]

118 STAT. 4113

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, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim March 21 through March 27, 2004, as National
Poison Prevention Week. I call upon all Americans to observe this week
by participating in appropriate activities and by learning how to
prevent poisonings among children.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this nineteenth day of
March, in the year of our Lord two thousand four, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
eighth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
PROCLAMATION 7764--MAR. 25, 2004