PRINTER'S NO. 3523
No. 494 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY JOSEPHS, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CORRIGAN, CURRY, D. EVANS, GRUCELA, HERSHEY, LAUGHLIN, McCALL, MELIO, PISTELLA, RUBLEY, B. SMITH, E. Z. TAYLOR, TRELLO, YOUNGBLOOD, CREIGHTON, DALEY, FRANKEL, HARHAI, HORSEY, LEDERER, McGILL, PALLONE, READSHAW, SCHRODER, STABACK, THOMAS, WASHINGTON, CRUZ, DiGIROLAMO, GABIG, HENNESSEY, LaGROTTA, LESCOVITZ, McILHATTAN, PIPPY, ROBINSON, SHANER, STEELMAN, TIGUE AND J. WILLIAMS, MARCH 27, 2002
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, MARCH 27, 2002
A RESOLUTION 1 Directing the Department of Health to study the problem of in- 2 vehicle drinking and related drug use by teenagers. 3 WHEREAS, Teenagers with access to a motor vehicle who use 4 alcohol and illegal drugs may cause significant harm to 5 themselves and others; and 6 WHEREAS, Alcohol and drug abuse by teenagers has increased 7 and shifted to riskier settings among certain youths; and 8 WHEREAS, In 1999, 101 youths from 15 to 20 years of age were 9 killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents in this 10 Commonwealth; and 11 WHEREAS, Aluminum Anonymous is a nonprofit corporation which 12 addresses the public health and environmental consequences of 13 underage and adult in-vehicle drinking and related drug use; and 14 WHEREAS, A survey by Aluminum Anonymous of 1,325 miles of 15 roadways in this Commonwealth since 1997 and follow-up
1 interviews indicate that teenagers account for 50% of alcohol 2 containers discarded at an average rate of 1,200 beer cans and 3 beer bottles per mile of road annually; and 4 WHEREAS, State legislatures in New Mexico, Montana, Rhode 5 Island and South Dakota have adopted resolutions regarding 6 teenage alcohol and drug use and related youth violence in motor 7 vehicles; and 8 WHEREAS, The National Center on Substance Abuse and Addiction 9 reported in January 2001 that only 2% of the annual State 10 expenditure for substance abuse problems is used for prevention 11 and treatment; therefore be it 12 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the 13 Department of Health to study the problem of in-vehicle drinking 14 and related drug use by teenagers; and be it further 15 RESOLVED, That the Department of Health report to the House 16 of Representatives on its findings and recommendations for 17 incorporating teenage in-vehicle drinking and related drug use 18 into State substance abuse and youth violence prevention 19 strategies. C7L82SFL/20020H0494R3523 - 2 -