    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 134, 116th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Proclamation 9995 of March 13, 2020
    National Poison Prevention Week, 2020
    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation
    Far too often, American families bear the burden of preventable
    tragedies caused by unintentional poisonings. Each day, more than 300
    children are treated for poisonings in emergency rooms across the United
    States. These incidents frequently involve ordinary household items like
    cleaning products and medicines, including opioids, which are toxic but
    may be attractive to children because of their bright colors and sweet
    smells. The responsibility for ensuring that these dangerous products
    are out of sight and out of reach of our youth falls on all of us.
    During National Poison Prevention Week, we reaffirm our commitment to
    raising awareness of the realities of unintentional poisonings and
    overdoses in our country, and of the ways Americans can educate
    themselves to avoid accidental injury, overdose, or death in their homes
    and communities.
    Every American has a role to play in preventing accidental poisonings
    and overdoses. Twice per year, my Administration hosts national drug
    ``Take Back Day''; events for Americans to help protect against the
    accidental ingestion, misuse, or abuse of prescription drugs by turning
    in expired or unneeded medications to be disposed of safely. Locking up
    medications after use and asking local pharmacies or police departments
    for ways to promptly dispose of expired, unwanted, or unused medications
    properly can also help prevent tragedies from occurring. In the event of
    an accidental poisoning, quick action could save a life,

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    and expert help
    is always available through poison control centers. These centers are
    vital lifelines used by millions of Americans annually, and they serve
    the public, healthcare providers, public safety personnel, health
    departments, and law enforcement officials around the clock.
    Each day, many American families suffer from the pain caused by an
    opioid overdose death. My Administration is committed to helping
    eradicate drug addiction from our society and to preventing drug
    overdoses, which are now the leading cause of accidental death in the
    United States. Over the last 3 years, the Department of Health and Human
    Services has awarded nearly $9 billion in grants to address the opioid
    crisis and improve access to prevention, treatment, and recovery
    services. As a part of my Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse, I announced a
    plan to decrease the amount of opioid prescription fills by one-third
    within 3 years. And in October 2018, I signed into law the SUPPORT Act,
    the largest and most comprehensive piece of legislation to combat the
    opioid crisis, which expands access to drug-disposal programs and to
    evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder. Thanks to our efforts,
    in 2018, overdose deaths fell nationwide for the first time in decades,
    and the amount of opioids prescribed nationally since 2017 decreased by
    35 percent. Additionally, an increasing number of Americans are
    receiving life-saving medication-assisted treatment for drug addiction.
    No American should perish as a result of unintended exposure to poisons
    or accidental overdoses. This week, we recommit to taking the critical
    precautions necessary to prevent the deadly realities of unintentional
    poisonings and drug overdoses, and we ask all Americans to do their part
    to raise awareness to help combat these issues.
    To encourage Americans to learn more about the dangers of unintentional
    poisonings and to take appropriate preventative measures, on September
    26, 1961, the Congress, by joint resolution (75 Stat. 681), 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, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
    America, do hereby proclaim March 15, 2020, through March 21, 2020, to
    be National Poison Prevention Week. I call upon all Americans to observe
    this week by taking actions to safeguard their families from poisonous
    products, chemicals, medicines, and drugs found in their homes, and to
    raise awareness about these dangers in order to prevent accidental
    injuries and deaths.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of
    March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
    fourth.
    DONALD J. TRUMP