SCR 8, as introduced, DeSaulnier. Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month
This measure would proclaim the month of March, each year, as Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month and encourage all citizens to participate in prevention programs and activities and to pledge to “Spread the Word ... One Pill Can Kill.”
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, In 2008, drug overdoses in the United States caused
236,450 deaths and 20,044 of these were from prescription drug
3overdoses; and
4WHEREAS, Overdose deaths involving opioid pain relievers
5(OPR) have increased and now exceed deaths involving heroin
6and cocaine combined; and
7WHEREAS, In 2009, 1.2 million emergency department visits
8were related to misuse or abuse of pharmaceuticals (an increase
9of 98.4 percent since 2004); and
10WHEREAS, Nonmedical use of OPR costs insurance companies
11up to $72.5 billion annually in health care costs; and
12WHEREAS, By 2010, enough prescription painkillers were sold
13to medicate every American adult with a typical dose of five
14milligrams of hydrocodone every four hours for one month; and
P2 1WHEREAS, In 2010, 2 million people reported using
2prescription painkillers nonmedically for the first time within the
3last year--nearly 5,500 a day; and
4WHEREAS, As many as 70 percent of people who abuse
5prescription drugs get them from a relative or friend instead of a
6doctor; and
7WHEREAS, The National Coalition Against Prescription Drug
8Abuse, in cooperation with law enforcement agencies,
9community-based organizations, alcohol and other drug service
10providers, and civic and business leaders, coordinates Prescription
11Drug Abuse Awareness Month activities to offer our citizens the
12opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to campaigns and
13education aimed at raising awareness about the abuse and misuse
14of prescription drugs, promoting safe storage and disposal of
15prescription drugs, and using medications only as prescribed; and
16WHEREAS, Families, schools, businesses, faith-based
17communities, law enforcement, medical professionals, county and
18local governments, health care practitioners, pharmacists, and the
19general public throughout the state will demonstrate their
20commitment to the prevention of prescription medication abuse
21by participating in activities intended to highlight local efforts
22during the month of March; now, therefore, be it
23Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
24thereof concurring, That the month of March, each year, is hereby
25be proclaimed to be Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month
26and that all citizens are encouraged to participate in prevention
27programs and activities and to pledge to “Spread the Word … One
28Pill Can Kill”; and be it further
29Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
30this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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