III 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 564 

Designating the month of October 2012 as ‘‘National Medicine Abuse 

Awareness Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. UDALL of 

New Mexico, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. COONS, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. MANCHIN, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. DURBIN, 

and Mr. CASEY) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 

and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the month of October 2012 as ‘‘National 

Medicine Abuse Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas over-the-counter and prescription medicines approved by the Food and Drug Administration have been 

determined to be safe and effective when used properly; 

Whereas the misuse or abuse of these medicines can be extremely dangerous and produce serious side effects; 

Whereas the Office of National Drug Control Policy reports 

that medicine abuse is the fastest-growing drug problem 

in the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention has classified medicine abuse as an epidemic; 


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•SRES 564 ATS 

Whereas the 2011 Monitoring the Future survey, funded by 

the National Institutes of Health, and the 2011 National 

Survey on Drug Use and Health, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 

both illustrate that, after marijuana, over-the-counter 

and prescription medicines account for the most frequently abused drugs among 12th graders; 

Whereas the access teenagers often have to prescription medicines in home medicine cabinets and the lack of understanding by teenagers of the potential harms of these 

powerful medicines make it more critical than ever to 

raise public awareness about the dangers of medicine 

abuse; 

Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration and many 

State and local law enforcement agencies have established 

drug disposal programs (commonly referred to as ‘‘takeback programs’’) to facilitate the collection and destruction of unused, unwanted, or expired medications, thereby helping to take outdated or unused medications off 

household shelves and out of the reach of children and 

teenagers; 

Whereas National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month promotes the message that over-the-counter and prescription 

medicines are to be taken only as labeled or prescribed, 

and that using such medicines to get high or in large 

doses can cause serious or life-threatening consequences; 

Whereas observance of National Medicine Abuse Awareness 

Month should be encouraged at the national, state, and 

local levels to increase awareness of the abuse of medicines; 


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•SRES 564 ATS 

Whereas a nationwide prevention and education campaign 

has been launched by the national organization that represents 5,000 anti-drug coalitions nationwide, along with 

the association representing makers of over-the-counter 

medicines, to provide local coalitions with tools, training, 

and outreach strategies to engage and educate parents, 

grandparents, teachers, law enforcement officials, retailers, doctors, and other healthcare professionals about the 

potential harms of cough medicine abuse; and 

Whereas educating the public about the dangers of medicine 

abuse, encouraging parents to talk about medicine abuse 

with their teenagers, mobilizing parents to safeguard 

their home medicine cabinets, and promoting abuse prevention are critical components of what must be a multipronged effort to curb over-the-counter and prescription 

medicine abuse: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates the month of October 2012 as 

3 ‘‘National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month’’; and 

4 (2) urges communities to carry out appropriate 

5 programs and activities to educate parents and 

6 youth of the potential dangers associated with medi7 cine abuse. 

Æ 


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