CITY OF RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA
P R O C L A M A T I O N
Declaring March 2022 as Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month
WHEREAS, when used as prescribed by a doctor, prescription drugs, such as stimulants, sedatives, and opioids, can be helpful in treating many illnesses, but when these medications are misused, they can have serious consequences , such as altered thoughts and judgment, addiction, drugged driving, infectious disease, and adverse effects on pregnancy; and
WHEREAS, prescription opioid overdose deaths also often involve benzodiazepines , which are central nervous system depressants used to sedate, induce sleep, prevent seizures, and relieve anxiety, of which the CDC recommends avoiding taking while taking prescription opioids; and
WHEREAS, in 2020, there were 478,723 opioid prescriptions given to patients in Contra Costa County, which is an age-adjusted rate of 347.4 per 1,000 residents, higher than the state rate of 333.34, and a total of 16,537 emergency department visits occurred in California that were related to any opioid overdose, 93 of which occurred in Contra Costa County; and
WHEREAS, provisional data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicate s that in the 12-month period ending in April 2021 , overdose deaths from synthetic opioids, primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl, and deaths from natural and semi-synthetic opioids, such as prescription pain medication, increased , and of the estimated 100,306 drug overdose deaths nationally, 161 of those occurred in Contra Costa County; and
WHEREAS, the Alcohol, Marijuana, and Prescription Drug Coalition engage s youth and adult stakeholders from across the county to participate in activities to raise a bout prescription drug safety awareness, promote safe medication storage and disposal and ensure naloxone is available for those at high risk of opioid related overdose.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED , that the Richmond City Council do es hereby declare March 202 2 as Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month in the City of Richmond and encourages all community members to participate in prescription drug abuse related prevention programs and activities and to pledge to “Spread the Word… One Pill Can Kill.”
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Mayor Tom Butt
City of Richmond, California
March 1, 2022