This month and throughout the year, we must promote recovery and support the growth of healthy, resilient individuals and families in the United States. Today, alcohol and other drugs threaten the future of millions of Americans. Abuse of prescription medication has reached epidemic levels, drunk and drugged driving pose significant threats to public safety, and individuals in recovery continue to confront barriers to full participation in our society. My Administration is committed to reducing substance abuse, and this year we released our 2011 National Drug Control Strategy, which supports successful, long-term recoveries through research, education, in creased access to treatment, and community-based recovery support.
As a Nation, we must strive to promote second chances and recognize each individual's ability to overcome adversity. We laud and support the millions of Americans in recovery from substance abuse, their loved ones, and the communities that help them sustain recovery, while encouraging those in need to seek help. As we celebrate National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, we pay tribute to the transforming power of recovery, which will continue to heal individuals and communities across our country.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority invested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2011 as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
Proclamation 8702 of August 31, 2011
National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, 2011
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Since the 1970s, the rate of childhood obesity in our country has tripled, and today a third of American children are overweight or obese. This dramatic rise threatens to have far-reaching, long-term effects on our children’s health, livelihoods, and futures. Without major changes, a third of children born in the year 2000 will develop Type 2 diabetes during their lifetimes, and many others will face obesity-related problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma. As a Nation, our greatest responsibility is to ensure the well-being of our children. By taking action to address the issue of childhood obesity, we can help America’s next generation reach their full potential.
Together, we can stop this epidemic in its tracks. Over the last year and a half, the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative has brought together Federal agencies and some of the biggest corporations and nonprofits from across
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