By: Zaffirini S.R. No. 920
SENATE RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The statutory mission of the Texas Department of
1-2 Health is to protect and promote the health of the citizens of this
1-3 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, about 23 percent of the state's
1-9 population, or approximately three million Texans, smoke
1-10 cigarettes; and
1-11 WHEREAS, In Texas, although the sale of tobacco to anyone
1-12 under the age of 18 is prohibited, more than 300,000 children in
1-13 the seventh grade through 12th grade currently use tobacco; and
1-14 WHEREAS, In 1988, a United States Surgeon General report
1-15 showed that cigarettes and other forms of tobacco are addictive,
1-16 that tobacco users use tobacco regularly because they are addicted
1-17 to nicotine, and that most tobacco users find it difficult to quit
1-18 due to this addiction; and
1-19 WHEREAS, A 1992 survey found that approximately two-thirds of
1-20 adolescents who smoke said that they want to quit, and 70 percent
1-21 said they would not start smoking if they could make that choice
1-22 again; and
1-23 WHEREAS, According to the United States Centers for Disease
2-1 Control and Prevention, one-third of persons with incomes below
2-2 $20,000 smoke; and
2-3 WHEREAS, In 1995, five Texas cities ranked in the top 15
2-4 cities in the United States as having the highest density of likely
2-5 smokers: El Paso (ranked number one), San Antonio,
2-6 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, and
2-7 Houston; and
2-8 WHEREAS, Each year, tobacco use is responsible for more than
2-9 419,000 deaths in the United States and more than 26,000 deaths in
2-10 Texas, which represents more than the combined number of deaths
2-11 from alcohol, AIDS, illegal drugs, accidents, and homicides; and
2-12 WHEREAS, Studies show that lung cancer mortality is highest
2-13 among adults who begin smoking before the age of 15; and
2-14 WHEREAS, Texas recognizes several reports by the United
2-15 States Surgeon General that state that smoking is responsible for
2-16 30 percent of deaths from cancer, 82 percent of deaths from
2-17 pulmonary disease, 21 percent of deaths from chronic heart disease,
2-18 and 18 percent of deaths from stroke; and
2-19 WHEREAS, A recent study found that use of tobacco products by
2-20 pregnant women results in 19,000 to 41,000 miscarriages per year
2-21 and 3,100 to 7,000 infant deaths per year; and
2-22 WHEREAS, In 1993, tobacco-related illnesses and deaths cost
2-23 Texas more than $5 billion in direct health care costs and in lost
2-24 productivity; now, therefore, be it
2-25 RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Health continue to
3-1 promote tobacco use prevention education and cessation programs;
3-2 and, be it further
3-3 RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Health employ the
3-4 latest public health research and technological advances approved
3-5 by the Food and Drug Administration, with special emphasis on
3-6 high-risk populations under 200 percent of poverty; and, be it
3-7 further
3-8 RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Health be encouraged
3-9 to partner with others, including, but not limited to, the American
3-10 Cancer Society, American Lung Association, American Heart
3-11 Association, Texas Medical Association, Texas Academy of Family
3-12 Physicians, Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers Association,
3-13 Texas Osteopathic Association, Texas Pharmacy Association, Texas
3-14 Chiropractic Association, and Texas Hospital Association to ensure
3-15 that tobacco prevention education and cessation programs help
3-16 reduce the economic and human toll of tobacco use on the citizens
3-17 of Texas; and, be it further
3-18 RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Health submit a full
3-19 report to the 76th Texas Legislature when it convenes in January,
3-20 1999 of the agency's activities and findings relevant to this
3-21 resolution and its recommendations for reducing tobacco use in
3-22 Texas; and, be it further
3-23 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
3-24 forwarded to the commissioner of the Texas Department of Health.
3-25 ______________________________________
3-26 President of the Senate
4-1 I hereby certify that the above
4-2 Resolution was adopted by the Senate
4-3 on May 29, 1997.
4-4 ______________________________________
4-5 Secretary of the Senate