WHEREAS, In 2008, drug overdoses in the United States caused 36,450 deaths and 20,044 of these were from prescription drug overdoses; and

WHEREAS, Overdose deaths involving opioid pain relievers (OPR) have increased and now exceed deaths involving heroin and cocaine combined; and

WHEREAS, In 2009, 1.2 million emergency department visits were related to misuse or abuse of pharmaceuticals (an increase of 98.4 percent since 2004); and

WHEREAS, Nonmedical use of OPR costs insurance companies up to $72.5 billion annually in health care costs; and

WHEREAS, By 2010, enough prescription painkillers were sold to medicate every American adult with a typical dose of five milligrams of hydrocodone every four hours for one month; and

WHEREAS, In 2010, 2 million people reported using prescription painkillers nonmedically for the first time within the last year—nearly 5,500 a day; and

WHEREAS, As many as 70 percent of people who abuse prescription drugs get them from a relative or friend instead of a doctor; and

WHEREAS, The National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse, in cooperation with law enforcement agencies, community-based organizations, alcohol and other drug service providers, and civic and business leaders, coordinates Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month activities to offer our citizens the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to campaigns and education aimed at raising awareness about the abuse and misuse of prescription drugs, promoting safe storage and disposal of prescription drugs, and using medications only as prescribed; and

WHEREAS, Families, schools, businesses, faith-based communities, law enforcement, medical professionals, county and local governments, health care practitioners, pharmacists, and the general public throughout the state will demonstrate their commitment to the prevention of prescription medication abuse by participating in activities intended to highlight local efforts during the month of March; now, therefore, be it