Friday, November 12, 2010

American Medicine Chest Challenge (AMCC)

AMERICAN MEDICINE CHEST CHALLENGE TO RAISE AWARENESS OF PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE

National Day of Awareness to be Held on November 13, 2010 in Communities throughout Pennsylvania
PENNSYLVANIA – On November 13, 2010, a historic and lifesaving event --- The American Medicine Chest Challenge (AMCC) --- a public health initiative to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug abuse will be held in communities throughout Virginia with local law enforcement partnership.

AMCC was created to help American families see their medicine cabinets through new eyes -- as an access point for potential misuse and abuse of over-the-counter and prescription medicine by young people and to provide an opportunity to properly dispose of unused, unwanted, and expired medicines and encourage families to take the five step American Medicine Chest Challenge, explained Angelo M. Valente, Chief Executive Officer of AMCC.

Information on where to dispose of these medicines can be found on americanmedicinechest.com.

“The American Medicine Chest 5-step challenge will help save the lives of our children,” Valente said. “The steps include taking inventory of your medicine, securing your medicine chest, taking medicine only as prescribed by your doctor, disposing unused, unwanted, and expired medicine, and most importantly, talking to your children about the dangers of prescription drugs.”

According to Jeff Bond, Senior Vice President for State Government Affairs at PhRMA, an AMCC founding sponsor, “With prescription drug abuse on the rise, it is important to have safe solutions for consumer disposal of unused medicines in their own home or through a community program in order to avoid the possibility that someone steals or misuses that medication.“

American College of Emergency Physicians president, Sandra Schneider, MD, FACEP, also an AMCC sponsor said, "Prescription drugs are the most abused drugs in America other than marijuana, and parents are the first line of defense between kids and the prescription medications."

AMCC is also being supported by the Partnership at DrugFree.org, Generic Pharmaceutical Association, and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

AMCC is based on the success of the nationally recognized Operation Medicine Cabinet New Jersey (OMC-NJ) that was featured in the 2010 Drug Strategy of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

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