By: Zaffirini S.R. No. 369 1-1 SENATE RESOLUTION 1-2 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins with the 1-3 Office of the Governor, the Texas Prevention Partnership, and the 1-4 Texas Pharmacists United in Patient Care in recognizing March 21 1-5 through 27, 1993, as Inhalant and Poison Awareness Week; and 1-6 WHEREAS, The Texas Prevention Partnership and the Texas 1-7 Pharmacists United in Patient Care are launching an educational 1-8 program to take place that week that will enlighten parents, 1-9 teachers, and youth workers about inhalant and poison misuse; the 1-10 Governor of Texas, Ann W. Richards, has issued a proclamation 1-11 declaring the week as Inhalant and Poison Awareness Week; and 1-12 WHEREAS, All Texans should be made aware of the potential 1-13 harm a multitude of products in our homes can cause if they are 1-14 misused; gasoline, hair spray, correction fluid, spray paint, and 1-15 cleaning products are all becoming the "drug" of choice for a 1-16 growing number of Texas youths, and their misuse can be disabling 1-17 and fatal; and 1-18 WHEREAS, One out of four Texas school children has sniffed or 1-19 inhaled some common household product by the seventh grade, making 1-20 inhalants the fourth most abused substance after alcohol, tobacco, 1-21 and marijuana; and 1-22 WHEREAS, Risks for inhalants include permanent and severe 1-23 brain damage, heart failure, loss of consciousness then sudden 2-1 death, and irreversible damage to the liver, kidneys, and bone 2-2 marrow; and 2-3 WHEREAS, More than 600 legal products can be inhaled to 2-4 "get high," and in 1991, more than 1.8 million people suffered 2-5 from ingestion and/or exposure to household poisons, a 2-6 seven-percent increase over 1990; and 2-7 WHEREAS, In 1992, 170,000 individuals in the State of Texas, 2-8 mostly children under the age of six, experienced the effects of 2-9 accidental poison exposure; in most cases, commmon household items 2-10 such as aspirin, cough and cold remedies, perfumes, and cleaning 2-11 products are the source of poisoning; and 2-12 WHEREAS, Inhalants often lead to the use of marijuana, crack, 2-13 and other illegal drugs; and because of the lack of awareness of 2-14 the problem by the public, inhalant misuse has been labeled the 2-15 "silent epidemic"; and 2-16 WHEREAS, Texans across the state should be encouraged to 2-17 participate in and support Inhalant and Poison Awareness Week for 2-18 the sake of our children and for the education of our public; now, 2-19 therefore, be it 2-20 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 2-21 73rd Legislature, hereby recognize March 21 through 27, 1993, as 2-22 Inhalant and Poison Awareness Week; and, be it further 2-23 RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be prepared for 2-24 Texas Prevention Partnership and Pharmacists United in Patient Care 2-25 as an expression of support from the Texas Senate. 3-1 _____________________________________ 3-2 President of the Senate 3-3 I hereby certify that the 3-4 above Resolution was adopted by 3-5 the Senate on March 9, 1993. 3-6 _____________________________________ 3-7 Secretary of the Senate 3-8 _____________________________________ 3-9 Member, Texas Senate