For Immediate Release

Contact: James Heins
(203) 588-8069

Stamford, CT – June 14, 2004 – A new education program based on Purdue Pharma’s Painfully Obvious® prescription drug abuse awareness program has been created and distributed by Lifetime Learning Systems, a Division of Weekly Reader, to approximately 13,000 middle schools in 17 states. Through this effort, important information about the dangers of prescription drug abuse will reach up to 4 million young people in the 5th through 8th grades. The program development and distribution was sponsored by an educational grant from Purdue.

The program provides students with their own four-page, four-color booklet that contains information drawn from Purdue’s Painfully Obviousâ program on the effects and consequences of abusing prescription drugs. Educators receive an instructor's guide to assist them in presenting the program to their classes. These materials are being distributed this month in classrooms in Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. In addition, the materials will be sent to students in a number of communities served by Purdue’s community coalition partners in Tennessee, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Washington, Louisiana, Alabama and Connecticut.

“We have already received feedback that the materials are being enthusiastically received by teachers in the targeted schools,” says Mr. Terry Bromberg, president of Lifetime Learning Systems, which is headquartered in Stamford. “It is critical that young people understand the dangers of abusing prescription drugs and Purdue Pharma should be commended for sponsoring this extremely important program.”

“Prevention begins with awareness and an important first step in the prevention of prescription drug abuse by young people is to equip them with knowledge and information about its potentially devastating effects,” said Clay Yeager, Purdue’s Director of Community Partnerships. “Through this program we are working to ensure that our youth will be better equipped to make the right choices when it comes to the misuse and abuse of prescription medications.”

Purdue Pharma created the Painfully Obvious program as a public service to raise awareness and educate parents, teachers, and students about the dangers of abusing prescription medicines. Prior to the Painfully Obvious initiative, there was no national program to specifically address the abuse of prescription medicines. The company is working with the Partnership for A Drug Free America and a number of state-based prevention organizations to utilize the Painfully Obvious educational materials in conjunction with local outreach efforts to address prescription drug abuse. These free educational materials can be accessed at www.painfullyobvious.com. 

Painfully Obvious is part of the company’s 10 Point Program to reduce prescription drug abuse without compromising patients’ access to appropriate medical care. The company has also provided funding to the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CACDA) to develop “Strategizers” and “Tool Kits” to help their constituent community organizations address prescription drug abuse. These resources have been provided to 5000 CADCA member organizations around the country and are also available from Purdue. 

Purdue Pharma L.P. and its associated U.S. companies are privately held pharmaceutical companies known for pioneering research on persistent pain. Headquartered in Stamford, CT, Purdue is engaged in the research, development, production and distribution of both prescription and over-the-counter medicines and hospital products. Additional information about Purdue can be found at www.purduepharma.com.

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