HLS 16RS-2966 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 97
BY REPRESENTATIVE HOFFMANN
DRUGS/PRESCRIPTION: Expresses the support of the legislature for the MyOldMeds
campaign to promote safe storage and in-home disposal of prescription medications
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To express the support of the legislature for the MyOldMeds campaign to promote safe
3 storage and in-home disposal of prescription medications.
4 WHEREAS, prescription drug abuse continues to be a significant public health
5problem, and the nation's biopharmaceutical industry remains committed to working with
6other stakeholders to find meaningful solutions to this problem such as community education
7and collaboration with local, state, and national leaders; and
8 WHEREAS, prescription medications save and improve lives every day when taken
9exactly as prescribed and for the intended purpose; and
10 WHEREAS, abuse or misuse of prescription medications can cause serious adverse
11health consequences, including overdose and death; and
12 WHEREAS, approximately six million eight hundred thousand Americans took
13prescription drugs for nonmedical uses in 2012; and
14 WHEREAS, nationally, deaths related to prescription drug overdoses tripled from
151999 to 2010, and Louisiana's overdose death rate is higher than the national average; and
16 WHEREAS, educating consumers about safe disposal of unused medicines can help
17prevent drug diversion and abuse; and
18 WHEREAS, a preferred, safe, and secure way of disposing unused medicines
19through household trash exists presently; and
Page 1 of 2 HLS 16RS-2966 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 97
1 WHEREAS, in-home medicine disposal, which is a method that has been proven to
2be both effective and environmentally friendly, removes medicines from the home as soon
3as they are no longer needed so that the medicines are not available for misuse or abuse; and
4 WHEREAS, with few exceptions, the United States Food and Drug Administration
5recommends in-home disposal through safe and secure steps such as placing medicines in
6a sealable container such as a plastic bag, mixing with water and an undesirable substance
7such as cat litter or coffee grounds, and placing the container in one's household trash; and
8 WHEREAS, the MyOldMeds program is an education campaign designed to increase
9public awareness about the importance of secure storage and disposal of drugs and to
10demonstrate an easy way for consumers to handle drug disposal independently, securely, and
11efficiently; and
12 WHEREAS, the MyOldMeds campaign is being launched in Louisiana to enhance
13consumer awareness and education about the in-home disposal process, which is the best
14way to ensure that medicines are being disposed of properly; and
15 WHEREAS, the MyOldMeds campaign will help spread the word about safe and
16secure disposal of medicines to help combat drug diversion and abuse and prevent accidental
17ingestion.
18 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
19express its support for the MyOldMeds campaign for the purpose of increasing awareness
20among policymakers, patients, and healthcare providers regarding safe and secure disposal
21of prescription medicines.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
23to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America's senior director of state
24advocacy for the territory encompassing Louisiana.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 97 Original 2016 Regular Session Hoffmann
Expresses support of the legislature for the MyOldMeds campaign for the purpose of
increasing awareness among policymakers, patients, and providers regarding safe and secure
disposal of prescription medicines.
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