The Alliance for Consumer Education Names Senator Herb Kohl Honorary Chair

Senator to serve on national nonprofit educational foundation dedicated to promoting the safety, health & well-being of families and communities

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Alliance for Consumer Education (ACE), a national nonprofit educational foundation dedicated to advancing community health and well-being, today announced U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) will serve as the foundation’s honorary chair, effective immediately.

“It is an honor to have him join our foundation. Together we’ll be able to collectively help protect the lives of many more children across the country.”

Senator Kohl is a strong advocate for ACE’s flagship program of inhalant abuse prevention. Through his involvement, ACE looks to further raise the profile of the program to help amplify its educational message to parents and communities across the country on the dangers of misusing household products.

Inhalant Abuse is the deliberate inhalation of common household products for the purpose of getting high and in the United States, according to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a frightening 68% of first time inhalant users are under the age of 18. In a recent call to bring greater national attention to the issue Senator Kohl pushed for more efforts to ensure that people understand the risks and consequences of “huffing” common household products.

“Substance abuse derails promising young lives in ways that few other things do. The risks and dangers in chasing for a high are well known but the methods change, so cooperation among parents, community leaders, educators and retailers is fundamentally necessary to combat substance abuse,” said Senator Kohl. “The Alliance for Consumer Education is dedicated to protecting our young people from harm, and I’m honored to serve as the foundation’s honorary chairman.”

“Throughout his decades in public service, Senator Kohl has worked tirelessly to help protect the health and well-being of our nations’ children and their families,” said Kelly Semrau, President of the Alliance for Consumer Education and Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs, Communication & Sustainability S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. “It is an honor to have him join our foundation. Together we’ll be able to collectively help protect the lives of many more children across the country.”

Since 2000 ACE has filled the gap of prevention education through its core programs areas of Inhalant Abuse Prevention, Disease Prevention, and Poison Prevention. Through key national partnerships, three interactive websites for families and educators, and with its materials in use in all 50 states ACE strengthens communities across the country and educates consumers on proper ways of keeping their families safe and healthy.

ACE’s inhalant abuse prevention kit as well as other materials can be downloaded online.

ACE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation founded in 2000. The ACE mission is “to promote responsible and beneficial use of products to ensure a safer, healthier and cleaner environment in homes, businesses and the community.” Its core program areas are Inhalant Abuse Prevention, Disease Prevention, Poison Prevention, and Product Management. ACE is affiliated with the Consumer Specialty Products Association.