02/27/2001 03:03 PM House HES

HCR 6-INHALANTS AND POISONS AWARENESS WEEK                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DYSON  announced  the committee  would  hear  testimony  on                                                              
HOUSE  CONCURRENT RESOLUTION  NO.  6, Requesting  the Governor  to                                                              
declare March  18   -  24,  2001, to  be  Inhalants   and  Poisons                                                              
Awareness Week.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Number 0149                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MARY  KAPSNER,   Alaska  State  Legislature,  came                                                              
forth as sponsor  of HCR 6.  She explained that  the third week of                                                              
March is nationally  recognized as inhalant abuse  awareness week.                                                              
She  expressed her  desire for  Alaska to  join in  the effort  in                                                              
recognizing the  detrimental effects  of inhalant abuse,  which is                                                              
what HCR 6 requests.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DYSON asked  Representative Kapsner to explain  the problem,                                                              
what it does to people, and how big a problem it is in Alaska.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KAPSNER  said, from  her  understanding,  inhalant                                                              
abuse has  had serious, far-reaching  effects all over  the nation                                                              
as well  as in Alaska,  including rural  Alaska.  She  stated that                                                              
inhalants affect  all of the  major organs, especially  the brain.                                                              
A first-time user  could die, and repeated users  become retarded.                                                              
She  added  that  inhalants could  also  affect  the  reproductive                                                              
organs.   She remarked  that this  isn't like  FAS (fetal  alcohol                                                              
syndrome),  where a  woman has to  worry about  drinking for  just                                                              
nine months  of her pregnancy.   If an eight- or ten-year-  old is                                                              
involved   in  inhalants,   there  could   be  repercussions   for                                                              
generations to come.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Number 0314                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER  remarked that part of the  problem is that                                                              
this activity  is not illegal,  and a lot  of the older  kids know                                                              
that.   There's  nothing VPSOs  (village  public safety  officers)                                                              
and  clinicians   can  do  to  persuade  older   kids  from  using                                                              
inhalants.    Inhalant  use  is   very  addictive.    Because  the                                                              
inhalant is  "huffed" it  goes into the  system quickly  and gives                                                              
the users an immediate rush, sense of power, and euphoria.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DYSON  asked  Representative  Kapsner  to  list  commercial                                                              
products that are  easily available in homes and  stores that kids                                                              
could use.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER  answered that  any type of  aerosol, glue,                                                              
gasoline, and something  known as whip-its from  whipped cream can                                                              
be inhaled.   She  added that  part of  her reluctance  in listing                                                              
all  the products  is  that she  doesn't want  to  give any  young                                                              
listeners  ideas  as  to things  that  can  get  them high.    She                                                              
continued  saying that  treatment  facilities have  been known  to                                                              
lock up markers,  whiteout, and any  kind of aerosol.   Locks have                                                              
to be put  on gas tanks because  people who go into  treatment are                                                              
often found  wandering in the parking  lot huffing out  of the gas                                                              
tanks.   She stated  that the  hard thing  is that  none of  these                                                              
things are contraband, but are easily accessible and deadly.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CISSNA stated  that the really  tough thing  about                                                              
inhalant abuse is  that it is not just what happens  when a person                                                              
inhales; the substances  that are used are dangerous  as well. She                                                              
shared that when  her foster daughter was in her  early teens, she                                                              
accepted a  jar of gasoline to inhale,  and it caught  on fire and                                                              
"melted" half of her face.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   KAPSNER  informed   the   committee  that   1,400                                                              
products are considered to be inhalants.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DYSON  reiterated the  intent of  HCR 6.   He expressed  the                                                              
hope that people would understand the problem.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0620                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOULE asked  if the  governor's proclamation  will                                                              
reach all the communities and how.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KAPSNER  answered  that  it  may  be  possible  to                                                              
attach intent language to the resolution.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOULE   remarked  that  he  thinks   it  would  be                                                              
beneficial  to enlist  the help  of school districts  in order  to                                                              
get this information to all of the schools.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER  noted that she had spoken  with the person                                                              
in charge of  the Head Start programs  in Bethel and asked  her if                                                              
she could  do some  education at  that level,  when younger  users                                                              
are starting  to get involved with  inhalants.  She added  that it                                                              
definitely should be discussed at the elementary level.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 0800                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DYSON proposed  a conceptual  amendment:   on page  2, line                                                              
17, change  the period to a  comma and insert, "using  every means                                                              
they  can  to  inform Alaskan  children  and  families  about  the                                                              
dangers of inhalants."[No objection was stated.]                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 0832                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOULE  made a motion to  move HCR 6 as  amended out                                                              
of  committee with  individual  recommendations  and the  attached                                                              
zero fiscal  note.  There being  no objection, CSHCR  6(HES) moved                                                              
from  the House  Health, Education  and  Social Services  Standing                                                              
Committee.