The Medicine Abuse Project Week

WHEREAS, prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing drug problem in the United States today; and

WHEREAS, every day 2,500 children use a prescription drug to get high for the first time; prescription medications are the most commonly abused drugs among 12 year olds and 13 year olds; and

WHEREAS, unintentional drug poisoning is now the leading cause of accidental death in the United States with 70 deaths per day, surpassing car crashes; and

WHEREAS, since 2003, there have been more overdose deaths related to prescription opioid analgesics than to heroin and cocaine combined; and

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that prescription drug overdose rates have reached epidemic levels in the United States; and

WHEREAS, for every one overdose death related to opioid pain relievers, there are nine treatment admissions, 30 emergency department visits for misuse and abuse, 118 people with abuse and dependence, and 795 past year non-medical users; and

WHEREAS, medication in home medicine cabinets is vulnerable to diversion and abuse; people can help prevent abuse of prescription drugs by properly securing and disposing of their medicines at home; and

WHEREAS, in the four National Prescription Drug Take-back Days that have been held since September 2010, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and their state, local and tribal law enforcement and community partners have collected more than 1.5 million pounds (774 tons) of medication; and

WHEREAS, The Partnership at Drugfree.org, in collaboration with a diverse group of committed partners from Alabama and throughout the United States, will launch the first-of-its-kind public awareness campaign “The Medicine Abuse Project” to curb the abuse of medicine:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim the week of September 23 through September 29, 2012 as

The Medicine Abuse Project Week

in the state of the Alabama, and encourage citizens talk to their children about the dangers of medicine abuse and secure and properly dispose of medications in their home.

Given Under My Hand and the Great Seal of the Office of the Governor at the State Capitol in the City of Montgomery on the 31st day of August 2012.

 

Robert Bentley, Governor