03/15/2001 03:35 PM Senate STA

           HCR  6-INHALANTS AND POISONS AWARENESS WEEKS                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
REPRESENTATIVE  MARY  KAPSNER, bill  sponsor,  said that  this is  a                                                            
simple resolution  asking the Governor to declare  the third week in                                                            
March and the  last week in August  Inhalant Abuse Awareness  Weeks.                                                            
The third week  in March coincides with the National  Inhalant Abuse                                                            
Awareness  Week and  the August  date is  when the  Bethel  Inhalant                                                            
Abuse Treatment Center is expected to open.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Inhalant  abuse  is  a  local,  state,  national  and international                                                             
problem.  Young   people  are  primary   inhalant  abusers   due  to                                                            
availability. There is  evidence that this is a gateway drug because                                                            
most  individuals  in treatment  centers  for  drug use  began  with                                                            
                                                                   th                                                           
inhalant use.  A 1999 survey indicated  that 19.5 percent of all  8                                                             
graders  have  tried  inhalants  so  this  resolution  is  aimed  at                                                            
informing and educating parents and teachers of the problem.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  THERRIAULT  asked  why the  wording  on  page 1,  line  13                                                            
singled out  marijuana and  crack cocaine use  as a next step  after                                                            
inhalants.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER said she didn't know.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT asked  if she would be averse to leaving out the                                                            
words  "marijuana  and  crack  cocaine"  so  the  line  would  read,                                                            
"inhalants often lead to the use of other illegal drugs; that".                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER had no objection.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT offered the change as amendment #1.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  DAVIS asked  to make  a comment  before  the amendment  was                                                            
moved.  Although  not specified,  she  believes that  marijuana  and                                                            
crack  cocaine are  the  easiest drugs  to obtain  due  to cost  and                                                            
availability.  The wording is acceptable to her either  way but that                                                            
would be a reason for including those two drugs specifically.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT moved  amendment #1. There were no objections so                                                            
amendment #1 was adopted.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Next, he asked  whether "these toxic substances" on  page 2, line 15                                                            
referred to alcohol and drug abuse.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER said the reference is correct.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  THERRIAULT asked  whether  it wouldn't  be clearer to  say                                                            
"inhalants".                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER agreed.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  THERRIAULT moved  conceptual amendment  #2 to drop  "these                                                            
toxic substances"  and add "inhalants." The amendment  is conceptual                                                            
to facilitate  work between  the sponsor,  the drafter and  himself.                                                            
There was no objection so amendment #2 was adopted.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
There were  no other amendments. There  was a zero fiscal  note with                                                            
the resolution.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  DAVIS moved  SCSCS HCR6  (STA)  and zero  fiscal note  from                                                            
committee   with   individual   recommendations.   There   were   no                                                            
objections.