HR0956 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0956 LRB098 20665 GRL 57375 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, All citizens of Illinois should be made aware of the ever-present dangers posed by potentially poisonous household substances; and

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

WHEREAS, Over the past 50 years, the nation has been observing National Poison Prevention Week to help prevent accidental poisonings and tips for promoting community involvement in poison prevention; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Poison Center has been providing timely poison prevention and treatment services to the people of Illinois for over 60 years as the oldest and one of the largest poison centers in the nation; 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, Fifty percent of the more than 80,000 poisonings reported last year to the Illinois Poison Center involved children under the age of 5 and could have been prevented; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Poison Center manages approximately 90% of cases from the general public at home, saving the State of Illinois over $52 million in reduced health care and lost productivity costs; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate March of 2014 as Poison Prevention Month in the State of Illinois and urge all Illinoisans to educate themselves about the potentially harmful substances in their homes and take steps to create healthy and safe home, play, and work environments; and be it further

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