By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

The care and protection of children is a primary responsibility of all parents. This task should not be taken lightly because the stakes are high and, often, irreversible. Such is the case when dealing with poisons and other potentially hazardous material.

Thanks to child-protection packaging and greater awareness of parents, in the past two decades we have witnessed a reduction in the accidental poisoning of children. While progress has been made, we must remain vigilant. The death of even one child due to the ingesting of poison is too many.

A tragedy involving any family's child is a tragedy for us all. Parents around the Nation should be keenly aware that the danger of accidental poisoning knows no boundary and that only parental attention to the hazards around them will protect their children from needless suffering and possible death. Even heightened community awareness, even new safety packaging, even new laws on the books are less important than strict parental supervision when avoiding a tragedy from the misuse or abuse of common pharmaceutical and household products.

By Joint Resolution on September 26, 1961 (75 Stat. 681, 36 U.S.C. 165) Congress requested that the President issue an annual proclamation designating the third week in March as National Poison Prevention Week, to alert the American people to the problems of accidental poisoning among children and urge preventive measures for their solution.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate the week beginning March 15, 1981, as National Poison Prevention Week.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred eighty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifth.

Ronald Reagan

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., March 16, 1981]

Note: The text of the proclamation was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on March 14.