For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 18, 2005
National Poison Prevention Week, 2005
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
National Poison Prevention Week reminds us that young children need
constant close supervision by responsible adults to keep them safe.
This week highlights the dangers of accidental poisonings, steps that
can be taken to reduce risks, and what to do in case of an emergency.
Poison control centers receive approximately one million calls each
year about children who have ingested dangerous medicines or chemicals
they have found around their homes. Since the first National Poison
Prevention Week 43 years ago, many deaths and injuries have been
prevented through increased public awareness, the use of
child-resistant packaging, and a national network of poison control
centers. We must build on this progress by taking additional
precautions to keep our children safe. All potentially hazardous
products, including those encased in child-resistant packaging, should
be stored out of the reach of children. Parents can educate themselves
about poisons and receive safety information by visiting the Poison
Prevention Week Council website at www.poisonprevention.org. In case of
an emergency, families should keep the toll-free number,
1-800-222-1222, on hand in order to reach the nearest Poison Control
Center. By properly supervising children, taking preventive measures,
and knowing what to do in an emergency, we can help protect our young
people from the risks of accidental poisonings.
To encourage Americans to learn more about the dangers of
accidental poisonings and to take appropriate preventive measures, the
Congress, by joint resolution approved September 26, 1961, as
amended (75 Stat. 681), has authorized and requested the President
to issue a proclamation designating the third week of March each year
as "National Poison Prevention Week."
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States
of America, do hereby proclaim March 20 through March 26, 2005, as
National Poison Prevention Week. I call upon all Americans to observe
this week by participating in appropriate ceremonies and activities and
by learning how to prevent poisonings among children.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day
of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-ninth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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