Bill Text: NJ AJR176 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates September of each year as "Alopecia Areata Awareness Month."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-06-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee [AJR176 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-AJR176-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Designates September of each year as "Alopecia Areata Awareness Month."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution designating September of each year as "Alopecia Areata Awareness Month."
Whereas, Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune skin disease, causing hair loss on the scalp, face, and sometimes on other areas of the body; and
Whereas, The disorder affects as many as 6.8 million people in the United States, with a lifetime risk of 2.1 percent; and
Whereas, People of all ages, both sexes, and all ethnic groups can develop alopecia areata; and
Whereas, Alopecia areata often first appears during childhood, and its symptoms can be different for everyone who suffers from the disease; and
Whereas, Scientists aren't exactly sure what "triggers" the immune system to attack healthy hair follicles when people have alopecia areata, or even if the triggers first happen from a virus or bacteria, environmental factors, or a combination of both; and
Whereas, There are three types of alopecia areata: alopecia areata patchy -- the most common form, which causes the formation of one or more coin-sized hairless patches on the scalp or other areas of the body; alopecia totalis -- which causes a total loss of the hair on the scalp; and alopecia universalis -- which causes complete loss of hair on the scalp, face, and body; and
Whereas, Common symptoms of alopecia areata include: small, round or oval patches of hair loss on the scalp, beard area of the face, or other areas of the body with hair; hair loss and regrowth at the same time in different areas of the body; significant hair loss in a very short period of time; hair loss that's mostly on one side of the scalp, instead of both sides; the growth of "exclamation point" hairs that are narrow at the base or next to the scalp; and "stippling" or "pitting," the formation of rows of tiny dents on the fingernails; and
Whereas, Currently, there is no cure for alopecia areata. However, there are a variety of treatment options available for disrupting or distracting the immune attack on, and the stimulating of, the hair follicle, especially for those who have milder forms of the disease, including medication, surgery, and laser therapy; and
Whereas, It is in the public interest to educate New Jerseyans about alopecia areata in order to enhance their understanding of the disease and their support for those who suffer from it, and to encourage increased research and funding that will improve treatment and help in the discovery of a cure for the disease; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The month of September in each year is designated as "Alopecia Areata Awareness Month" in order to enhance their understanding of the disease and their support for those who suffer from it, and to encourage increased research and funding that will improve treatment and help in the discovery of a cure for the disease.
2. The Governor shall annually issue a proclamation calling upon public officials, health care professionals, and the citizens of this State to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs designed to raise public awareness of this disease.
3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This joint resolution designates September of each year as "Alopecia Areata Awareness Month."
The resolution directs the Governor to annually issue a proclamation calling upon public officials, health care professionals, and the citizens of this State to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs designed to raise public awareness of this disease.
