By Hirschi H.C.R. No. 286
75R16102 T
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The statutory mission of the Texas Department of
1-2 Health (TDH) is to protect and promote the health of the citizens
1-3 of this state; and
1-4 WHEREAS, In fulfilling its mission, the agency administers
1-5 programs regarding the quality and delivery of health care, the
1-6 control and prevention of disease, and the preservation of consumer
1-7 health in accordance with both state and federal law; and
1-8 WHEREAS, In Texas 24 percent of the state's population or
1-9 approximately three million Texans smoke cigarettes; and
1-10 WHEREAS, In Texas, although the sale of tobacco to anyone
1-11 under the age of 18 is prohibited, 365,525 children in the 7th
1-12 grade through 12th grades currently use tobacco; and
1-13 WHEREAS, In a 1988 a U.S. Surgeon General report showed that
1-14 cigarettes and other forms of tobacco are addicting, that tobacco
1-15 users use tobacco regularly because they are addicted to nicotine,
1-16 and that most tobacco users find it difficult to quit due to this
1-17 addiction; and
1-18 WHEREAS, A 1992 survey found that approximately 2/3 of
1-19 adolescents who smoke said that they want to quit, and 70 percent
1-20 said they would not have started smoking if they could make that
1-21 choice again; and
1-22 WHEREAS, According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC),
1-23 1/3 of persons with incomes below $20,000 smoke; and
1-24 WHEREAS, In 1995 five Texas cities ranked in the top 15
2-1 cities in the United States as having the highest density of likely
2-2 smokers; El Paso (ranked number 1), San Antonio,
2-3 McAllen-Edinberg-Mission, Brownsville-Harligen-San Benito, and
2-4 Houston; and
2-5 WHEREAS, Each year tobacco use is responsible for more than
2-6 419,000 deaths in the United States, and more than 25,000 deaths in
2-7 Texas; and
2-8 WHEREAS, Studies show that lung cancer mortality is highest
2-9 among adults who begin smoking before the age of 15; and
2-10 WHEREAS, Texas recognizes several reports by the Surgeon
2-11 General which states that smoking is responsible for: 30% of
2-12 deaths from cancer, 82% of death from pulmonary disease, 21% of
2-13 death from chronic heart disease, and 18% death from stroke; and
2-14 WHEREAS, A recent study found that use of tobacco products by
2-15 pregnant women results in from 19,000 to 41,000 miscarriages per
2-16 year and in from 3,100 to 7,000 infant deaths per year; and
2-17 WHEREAS, In 1993 tobacco related illnesses and death cost
2-18 Texas more than $5 billion dollars in direct health care cost and
2-19 in lost productivity; and therefore be it
2-20 RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Health develop and
2-21 institute education and smoking cessation programs that employ the
2-22 latest technological advances approved by the Food and Drug
2-23 Administration are targeted at high risk populations under 200% of
2-24 poverty; and, be it
2-25 RESOLVED, That the Department of Health be encouraged to
2-26 partner with others to include but not limited to the; Texas
2-27 Medical Association, Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers
3-1 Association, Texas Osteopathic Association, Texas Pharmacist
3-2 Association, the Texas Chiropractic Association and the Texas
3-3 Hospital Association to ensure that smoking cessation programs
3-4 reduce the cost of health care; and, be it further
3-5 RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Health submit a full
3-6 report of its finding and recommendations to the 76th Legislature
3-7 when that legislature convenes in January 1999; and be it further
3-8 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official
3-9 copy of this resolution to the commissioner of health.