Legislature(2017 - 2018)BUTROVICH 205
01/31/2018 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation: Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education | |
| SB128 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | SB 128 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 128-MARIJUANA EDU/TREATMENT FUND/PROGRAM
2:17:23 PM
CHAIR WILSON announced the consideration of SB 128 with his
intention to hear and hold the bill.
2:19:43 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of SB 128,
said she knew many people would question the need for another
fund. "Well, frankly, Mr. Chairman, I blame the hippies from my
generation of the 60s and 70s who raised kids who were led to
believe that this Schedule I, hallucinogenic drug was harmless,"
she said. These people voted to put this drug on the street
corners and it is now readily available. The state needs to deal
with that. "Those old hippies' grandchildren are at risk," she
said, as she sees them in school-based clinics.
She said these kids deal with jaw-dropping things. She does
screening for depression, suicidal ideation, and drug use. She
needs better tools to talk to them about marijuana use. She does
not run across kids who smoke because the smoking education fund
has worked.
She said government should be involved because government "is
taking a tax on this tapeworm that is sucking life out of
people." This bill takes some of this money to the Division of
Public Health to create materials for students and adults.
Grants will be available to private sector non-profits to go
forth on education and treatment programs funded by taxes
collected.
2:22:56 PM
SENATOR GIESSEL said the bill is being offered at the request of
DHSS. The fund mirrors the Tobacco Use Education and Cessation
Fund. The bill counters the message that legal means safe and
harmless, a belief that many schoolkids are led to believe, and
the message that this is a money-maker for staff coffers.
She said the bill allows DHSS to collect data on the use of
marijuana, the public attitude and knowledge about this drug and
how to protect the cognitive abilities and health of our youth
through education, mostly about side effects. This will be done
through grants to local organizations. The bill does not specify
organizations because the government should not pick winners or
losers. Many groups are ready to do this work.
2:24:48 PM
JANE CONWAY, Staff, Senator Giessel, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, presented the sectional analysis of SB 128.
Section 1 AS 43.61.010(d) is technical and conforming
language that clarifies which fund is being referenced
in this section that is about the recidivism reduction
fund. Since we are establishing another fund, the
Marijuana Education and Treatment Fund in another
subsection to follow, Legislative Legal wanted to
correctly name which fund is being addressed to
prevent any confusion.
Section 2 AS 43.61.010 is a new subsection that
creates the Marijuana Education and Treatment Fund
within the general fund. After receiving tax collected
from marijuana sales, the Dept. of Administration
shall separately account for and deposit 25% of those
proceeds into the Fund, and the legislature may
appropriate those monies for the purpose of funding
DHSS programs for marijuana use education and
treatment. This section specifies that the money in
this fund does not lapse.
MS. CONWAY noted that Section 3 has minor fixes from Legislative
Legal.
Section 3 AS 44.29.020(a) contains two minor fixes
from Leg Legal that adds the word "the" to (11) of
this section, and also the word "to" to item (14). It
also adds to this section that DHSS will administer
the marijuana education and treatment program by grant
or contract out this program to other organizations in
Alaska. This section outlines 5 components of the
program that must be included: 1. A community-based
marijuana misuse prevention component 2. Marijuana
public education geared toward prevention of youth
initiation of marijuana use, education re: the effects
of marijuana use and education re: marijuana laws 3.
Survey of youth and adults concerning knowledge,
awareness, attitude and use of marijuana products 4.
Monitoring of the public's health relating to
consequences of marijuana use 5. Provide for substance
abuse screening, brief intervention, referral and
treatment
SENATOR VON IMHOF said the sponsor statement has an estimate of
$9 million to be collected in taxes. She asked if a contingency
plan is in place if less than 9 million is collected.
SENATOR GIESSEL deferred the question to the division.
2:27:46 PM
SENATOR BEGICH disclosed a conflict of interest as he works with
Portland State University as a trainer and consultant on the
Reclaiming Futures Project, which deals with the substance abuse
screener referenced on page 3. lines 24 and 25. He could
financially benefit from the bill if Portland State University
were to win a grant.
2:28:40 PM
JAY BUTLER, M.D., Chief Medical Officer/Director, Department of
Health and Social Services (DHSS), presented information on SB
128. He responded to Senator Imhoff's question by stating that
the health education component could be very plastic, depending
on the assessments of the situation, and he asked for
flexibility to focus on "what is rather than what I think it is
going to be."
DR. BUTLER said the Marijuana Education and Treatment Fund would
be similar to the Tobacco Use Education and Cessation fund in
terms of how tax revenues are used. Twenty-five percent of the
marijuana excise tax would go to the fund. Currently 50 percent
goes to the recidivism fund and 50 percent to the general fund.
The bill would divide the 50 percent that goes to the general
fund between the general fund and the marijuana education fund.
He said the overarching goal is statewide coordination between
youth prevention, public health and safety, and youth
prevention. About 10 percent of marijuana users will be
diagnosed with cannabis use disorder, which is similar to
alcohol-use rates. The risk is two-fold when regular marijuana
use begins in the teen years, so an emphasis is to delay use of
marijuana in youth. The top public health and safety risk is
driving under the influence of marijuana.
2:33:28 PM
DR. BUTLER outlined the five parts to a comprehensive program:
• Community-based marijuana misuse prevention, with
a focus on youth prevention
• Assessment of knowledge and awareness of laws,
and use of marijuana products
• Monitoring of population health impact related to
marijuana use and legalization
• Marijuana education
• Substance abuse screening, brief intervention,
referral, and treatment (SBIRT)
He said community-based marijuana misuse prevention is about
local efforts to prevent misuse before it starts by mitigating
risk factors and enhancing existing programs for public health
and education to address substance misuse prevention.
He said that the Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed that kids in
afterschool programs report a lower frequency of marijuana use
and initiation.
SENATOR MICCICHE said he has been on the board of the Boys and
Girls Club for 25 years. He asked what model programs would
cost. He wondered if the bill should have a cap on proposed
allocations if marijuana revenues continue to increase.
DR. BUTLER responded that may be a Finance Committee question.
He said that a robust afterschool program may need a larger
proportion than exists now. The projections for total marijuana
tax revenue is $10 million a year.
2:37:08 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE said he still hears from people who think
marijuana sales will save the state from its fiscal gap, but he
understands that revenue is not expected to grow significantly.
SENATOR BEGICH asked what model programs and robustness mean to
the department.
DR. BUTLER said robust programs have data to show less use. He
noted the interest shown to the Iceland model, in which teen
substance use has declined dramatically over the last 20 years.
The press has simplified the solution to afterschool and sports
programs. There also has been a shift in social norms of what is
good parenting, as well as regulation. Curfew hours are enforced
and alcohol store hours are limited.
SENATOR BEGICH said he wanted to focus on afterschool programs.
He asked if DHSS would have strict requirements for efficient
programs. He does not want to divert money to programs that have
no effect.
DR. BUTLER said that would be a Request for Proposals
requirement.
CHAIR WILSON said he thought the initial percentage of
allocations by DHSS was lower than 25 percent and asked why it
is higher now.
2:41:41 PM
DR. BUTLER said that the proposal is not small. The proposal is
not as ambitious as in some states, such as Colorado, which has
a yearly expert panel on the effect of legalization. DHSS wants
to maximize the ability to provide a good public health model to
regulate legal, retail marijuana.
He said the second component is assessment and monitoring of the
following:
Assessment of trends in knowledge, awareness,
attitudes, and behaviors to address misperceptions and
knowledge gaps
Monitoring health status and use trends to identify
any health or health system effects of legalization
Some questions that require answers:
• Do youth perceive marijuana as a less harmful
substance due to legalization?
• Do youth and adults see driving under the
influence of marijuana as dangerous?
• How has marijuana legalization affected Alaskans'
health and safety?
2:44:28 PM
DR. BUTLER said the last question may take time to answer.
SENATOR VON IMHOF asked if DHSS is working with Colorado and
Oregon to compare data, such as the rate of car accident under
the influence.
DR. BUTLER said states have frequent phone contact and meetings,
when possible, with surveillance gurus from the Centers for
Disease Control about how to do these assessments in
standardized ways. States look to each other for leadership.
SENATOR GIESSEL said she has been very interested in the subject
of marijuana-impaired driving and in a meeting a month ago, the
Anchorage Police Department said they had documented 25 fatal
car accidents attributable to marijuana-impaired driving. She
suggested he be in contact with them to get the data.
DR. BUTLER said marijuana education seemed to be a big void
after legalization. Materials will be designed to communicate
messages to
1. help prevent youth initiation of marijuana use
2. educate the public about the health effects of
marijuana use
3. educate the public about marijuana laws
2:49:32 PM
DR. BUTLER said part of the education is needed for health care
professionals. Health care professionals may think back to their
hippie days when a joint was "half oregano." Now, high-tech
horticulture produces marijuana breeds with much higher levels
of THC. There are also a wide variety of products: vape
solutions, concentrates, edibles, topicals, etc.
He said providers need tools for substance abuse screening,
brief intervention, referral, and treatment (SBIRT). Use during
pregnancy is a concern. The health effects are unknown. Some
providers recommend it for morning sickness.
He said data on youth use shows that it has been stable over the
past ten years.
He said adults can help reduce youth marijuana use. Youth with
supportive teachers, parent communication, community
connections, and afterschool programs report less marijuana use.
DR. BUTLER said Alaska can join with Oregon, Washington,
Colorado, and California to direct tax funding towards a very
rational way to regulate retail marijuana to reduce the public
health risk with a minimum of regulation.
2:54:36 PM
SENATOR BEGICH asked if any increase had been shown in adult use
and why does the Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey show a higher
use among youth.
DR. BUTLER said the adult trend data for Alaska has been stable
at around 15-16 percent. He speculated that legalization could
increase availability and reduce the perception of harm among
youth.
SENATOR BEGICH said he hoped DHSS would produce yearly reports
about trend data so the legislature could track whether
education programs are effective.
SENATOR GIESSEL asked if he knew of the Office of Opioids and
Substance Abuse referenced by the Governor's Council on
Disabilities.
2:57:46 PM
MR BUTLER said it is actually the Office of Substance Misuse and
Addiction Prevention, which was created using existing funds and
positions from the Division of Public Health and the Division of
Behavioral Health. The office plays a coordinating role with a
focus on opioids and marijuana and prevention.
CHAIR WILSON asked how the fund is similar to and different than
the tobacco programs in the state.
DR. BUTLER said it is not significantly different, but
sustainability is one issue. A big proportion of the tobacco
prevention fund came from the master settlement, and those funds
are starting to decline. Marijuana retail sales would be a
sustainable source of funding for the Marijuana Education Fund.
3:00:37 PM
CHAIR WILSON opened public testimony on SB 128.
3:00:51 PM
TREVOR STORRS, Executive Director, Alaska Children's Trust,
suggested changes to SB 128. He said than when Alaska became the
third state to legalize recreational marijuana use, it came with
opportunities and challenges. The first priority is to protect
Alaska's youth because marijuana use in youth effects their
brain development. Four out of ten high school students have
used marijuana. Alaska needs specific youth prevention that
promotes protective factors. The proposal in the House utilizes
the Alaska Children's Trust and its program the Alaska
Afterschool Network to focus on youth use prevention. The Alaska
Children's Trust has a proven grant-making system with a greater
investment in services.
3:02:55 PM
MR STORR said connecting the funds to the Alaska Children's
Trust ensures higher standards and the highest possible outcomes
for youth. He encouraged the Senate to follow the House in
directing another 25 percent to afterschool programs.
3:03:41 PM
CHAIR WILSON closed public testimony on SB 128 and held the bill
in committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Council Presentation to House and Senate HSS.pptx |
SHSS 1/31/2018 1:30:00 PM |
Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education Presentation 1.31.18 |
| SB128 vsn A.PDF |
SHSS 1/31/2018 1:30:00 PM |
SB 128 |
| SB128 Sponsor Statement.2 1-17-18.pdf |
SHSS 1/31/2018 1:30:00 PM |
SB 128 |
| SB128 Sectional Analysis 1-17-18.pdf |
SHSS 1/31/2018 1:30:00 PM |
SB 128 |
| SB128 Letter of Support DHSS 1-22-18.pdf |
SHSS 1/31/2018 1:30:00 PM |
SB 128 |
| SB128 Support Letter Sampson 1-5-18.pdf |
SHSS 1/31/2018 1:30:00 PM |
SB 128 |
| SB128 Supporting Document Power Pt- DHSS 1-16-18.pdf |
SHSS 1/31/2018 1:30:00 PM |
SB 128 |
| SB128 Support Letter NAACP Anchorage 1-27-18.pdf |
SHSS 1/31/2018 1:30:00 PM |
SB 128 |
| SB 128 DHSS FN.pdf |
SHSS 1/31/2018 1:30:00 PM |
SB 128 |
| SB 128 DHSS Behavioral Health FN.pdf |
SHSS 1/31/2018 1:30:00 PM |
SB 128 |
| SB128 Supporting Document MJ Use in Alaska 1-30-18.pdf |
SHSS 1/31/2018 1:30:00 PM |
SB 128 |