HR0059 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0059 LRB098 08787 MST 38913 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, All citizens of Illinois should be made aware of the ever-present dangers posed by potentially harmful substances in their home, work, and play environments; and

WHEREAS, Children too often have access to over the counter and prescription medications and potentially harmful household products; and

WHEREAS, For more than 50 years, the nation has been observing National Poison Prevention Week (NPPW); the Illinois Poison Center celebrates March as Illinois Poison Prevention Month (IPPM) to help prevent unintentional poisonings and to share tips for promoting community involvement in poison prevention; and

WHEREAS, In 2013, the Illinois Poison Center, the oldest and one of the largest poison centers in the nation, will be celebrating its 60th year of providing poison prevention and treatment recommendations to the people of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Poison Center is a mainstay in the emergency medical care system of the State of Illinois and is recognized nationally for its contributions to poison treatment and prevention; and

WHEREAS, Nearly 50 percent of the 77,000 poisonings reported last year to the Illinois Poison Center involved children under the age of 5 and which most could have been prevented; and

WHEREAS, More than 90 percent of the exposure calls received from the public are treated over the phone, quickly and safely by experienced, expert staff of the poison center rather than in an emergency room; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we do hereby proclaim March 2013 to be POISON PREVENTION MONTH in THE STATE OF ILLINOIS and congratulate the Illinois Poison Center for providing outstanding public education and treatment advice to the State of Illinois for 60 years; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Illinois Poison Center.