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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 30, 2015 01:52 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Florindo J. Fabrizio |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month in Pennsylvania |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce a resolution designating the month of October 2015 as National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month in Pennsylvania. Substance use, including the non-medical use of prescription and over-the-counter medications, significantly affects the health and well-being of our nation’s youth and people of all ages. In the Commonwealth, and throughout the country, the misuse and abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs is a significant problem. In fact, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, prescription drug abuse is our nation’s fastest-growing drug problem. The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that over the past decade, the non-medical use of prescription drugs among persons 12 years or older rose from 1.9 million in 2002 to 11.1 million in 2011. While the consequences of over-the-counter medicine abuse are tragic and profound, they are also preventable. To combat this epidemic, many community anti-drug coalitions are working to raise awareness about the negative consequences associated with the misuse of these drugs. Despite the great success of these programs, Pennsylvania has the 14th highest drug overdose mortality rate in the United States, with 15.3 per 100,000 people suffering drug overdose fatalities. Please join me by co-sponsoring this resolution as we continue to draw attention to the importance of prescription drug abuse awareness and urge communities to carry out appropriate programs and activities to educate Pennsylvanians about the potential dangers associated with medicine abuse. By designating October 2015 as National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month, Pennsylvanians are able to reaffirm our national, state and local level commitment to living healthy, drug-free lives. |
Introduced as HR553