BILL ANALYSIS �
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SCR 8
Author: DeSaulnier (D), et al.
Amended: 4/18/13
Vote: 21
SENATE FLOOR : 28-0, 1/24/13
AYES: Beall, Berryhill, Block, Cannella, Correa, De Le�n,
DeSaulnier, Emmerson, Fuller, Gaines, Hill, Huff, Jackson,
Knight, Lara, Leno, Lieu, Monning, Nielsen, Pavley, Price,
Roth, Rubio, Steinberg, Walters, Wright, Wyland, Yee
NO VOTE RECORDED: Anderson, Calderon, Corbett, Evans, Galgiani,
Hancock, Hernandez, Liu, Padilla, Wolk, Vacancy, Vacancy
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : Read and adopted, 4/18/13
SUBJECT : Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution proclaims the month of March, each
year, as Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month and encourages
all citizens to participate in prevention programs and
activities and to pledge to "Spread the Word?One Pill Can Kill."
Assembly Amendments add coauthors.
ANALYSIS : This resolution makes the following legislative
findings:
1. In 2008, drug overdoses in the United States caused 36,450
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deaths and 20,044 of these were from prescription drug
overdoses.
2. Overdose deaths involving opioid pain relievers (OPR) have
increased and now exceed deaths involving heroin and cocaine
combined.
3. In 2009, 1.2 million emergency department visits were related
to misuse or abuse of pharmaceuticals (an increase of 98.4
percent since 2004).
4. Nonmedical use of OPR costs insurance companies up to $72.5
billion annually in health care costs.
5. By 2010, enough prescription painkillers were sold to
medicate every American adult with a typical dose of five
milligrams of hydrocodone every four hours for one month.
6. In 2010, two million people reported using prescription
painkillers nonmedically for the first time within the last
year, nearly 5,500 a day.
7. As many as 70 percent of people who abuse prescription drugs
get them from a relative or friend instead of a doctor.
8. The National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse, in
cooperation with law enforcement agencies, community-based
organizations, alcohol and other drug service providers, and
civic and business leaders, coordinates Prescription Drug
Abuse Awareness Month activities to offer our citizens the
opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to campaigns and
education aimed at raising awareness about the abuse and
misuse of prescription drugs, promoting safe storage and
disposal of prescription drugs, and using medications only as
prescribed.
9. Families, schools, businesses, faith-based communities, law
enforcement, medical professionals, county and local
governments, health care practitioners, pharmacists, and the
general public throughout the state will demonstrate their
commitment to the prevention of prescription medication abuse
by participating in activities intended to highlight local
efforts during the month of March.
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This resolution proclaims the month of March, each year, as
Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month and encourages all
citizens to participate in prevention programs and activities
and to pledge to "Spread the Word?One Pill Can Kill."
Prior Legislation
HR 25 (Buchanan, 2012), the State Assembly declared March 2012
as Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month. Read and adopted by
the Assembly on March 29, 2012.
SR 26 (Hancock, Anderson, DeSaulnier, 2012), the State Senate
declared March 2012 as Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month.
Read and adopted by the Senate on March 29, 2012.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
AL:d 4/24/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
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