PRINTER'S NO. 4469
No. 381 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY MURT, ARGALL, BAKER, BENNINGTON, BEYER, BOBACK, BOYD, BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, CIVERA, COHEN, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, EVERETT, FLECK, FRANKEL, GEIST, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHART, HARRIS, HELM, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, KORTZ, KOTIK, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MANTZ, McILHATTAN, MENSCH, MILLARD, MOYER, MYERS, PALLONE, PARKER, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, PYLE, QUINN, RAMALEY, RAPP, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROCK, SAINATO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SEIP, SIPTROTH, M. SMITH, SONNEY, STABACK, STERN, R. STEVENSON, SWANGER, VULAKOVICH, WOJNAROSKI AND ROSS, OCTOBER 2, 2008
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, OCTOBER 2, 2008
A RESOLUTION 1 Designating the month of October 2008 as "Food Allergy Awareness 2 Month" in Pennsylvania. 3 WHEREAS, Food allergy reactions cause 30,000 visits to 4 emergency rooms and 150 deaths each year when individuals 5 unknowingly eat a food containing an ingredient to which they 6 are allergic; and 7 WHEREAS, Children are the largest group affected by food 8 allergies; and 9 WHEREAS, Researchers estimate that approximately 12 million 10 Americans have food allergies; and 11 WHEREAS, Food allergy symptoms can include hives, vomiting, 12 diarrhea, respiratory distress and swelling of the throat; and 13 WHEREAS, Ninety percent of all food allergy reactions involve
1 shellfish, fish, milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, soy or wheat; 2 and 3 WHEREAS, There is no cure for potentially fatal food 4 allergies, and strict avoidance of the allergenic food is the 5 only way to prevent a reaction; and 6 WHEREAS, Anaphylaxis resulting from a food allergy produces a 7 sudden, severe, potentially fatal systemic reaction that can 8 involve various areas of the body such as the skin, respiratory 9 tract, gastrointestinal tract or cardiovascular system; and 10 WHEREAS, In severely allergic individuals, anaphylaxis can 11 cause death in a matter of minutes; and 12 WHEREAS, Eating in restaurants and at schools poses the 13 highest risk for people with food allergies; and 14 WHEREAS, Restaurant and cafeteria staff members are often not 15 aware of the ingredients used in preparing the food and may not 16 be prepared to handle a patron with an allergic reaction; and 17 WHEREAS, The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is a 18 national nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the 19 public about food allergies and anaphylaxis; therefore be it 20 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the 21 month of October 2008 as "Food Allergy Awareness Month" in 22 Pennsylvania. I17L82AJM/20080H0381R4469 - 2 -