Recognizing the Importance of National Prescription Drug Awareness Month

Floor Speech

Mr. McNERNEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the importance of National Prescription Drug Awareness Month.

Throughout California, March is recognized as National Prescription Drug Awareness Month. The purpose of this initiative is to increase community awareness about the dangers that many medications may pose if not used properly.

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared prescription drug abuse to be a national epidemic. In 2008, approximately 20,000 people died from prescription drug overdoses. In 2009, 1.2 million emergency department visits were related to misuse or abuse of pharmaceuticals. These numbers are tragic and unacceptable, and we must make every effort to address the issue.

Fortunately, the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse, NCAPDA, is leading the effort to combat this epidemic. NCPDA is hosting a variety of events in California this month to help raise awareness and public engagement in the battle against prescription drug abuse. Education plays a critical role helping children, young adults, and their parents to avoid prescription drug abuse, and education serves an important first step to combating this serious problem.

I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the important work of the NCAPDA and the role National Prescription Drug Awareness Month can play in preventing the loss of loved ones across the country.

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