On the recordMay 24, 2010
I am pleased to join my colleagues, Senator Casey and Senator Kohl, in submitting a resolution to designate May 24, 2010 as the ``Prescription Drug Disposal Awareness Day.'' The abuse of prescription narcotics such as pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives is currently the fastest growing drug abuse trend in the country. According to the most recent National Survey of Drug Use and Health, NSDUH, nearly 7 million people have admitted to using controlled substances without a doctor's prescription. People between the ages of 12 and 25 are the most common group to abuse these drugs. However, more and more people are dying because of this abuse. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that the unintentional deaths involving prescription narcotics increased 117 percent from the years 2001 to 2005. These are statistics that can no longer be ignored and tolerated. Regretfully, we read about children dying as a result of prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse.
