Bill Text: OR HCR16 | 2013 | Regular Session | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Recognizing addiction as a disease.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Failed) 2013-07-08 - In committee upon adjournment. [HCR16 Detail]

Download: Oregon-2013-HCR16-Engrossed.html

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     77th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2013 Regular Session

NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
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 LC 2812

                           A-Engrossed

                 House Concurrent Resolution 16
                  Ordered by the House April 5
            Including House Amendments dated April 5

Sponsored by Representative CLEM

                             SUMMARY

The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure.

  Recognizes addiction as disease.

                      CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
  Whereas views on addiction vary widely between the scientific
community and the public; and
  Whereas the disease model of addiction is currently the most
widely held view of addiction among the scientific community; and
  Whereas historically addiction has been regarded as a social
problem to be addressed with social solutions; and
  Whereas these perceptions have been given new dimension
following emerging scientific evidence that addiction requires
treatment as a health problem as well as a social problem; and
  Whereas behavioral psychologists have found that there are a
variety of risk factors that can lead to addiction beyond the
voluntary act of initial use, including genetics, peer pressure,
existing psychological disorders, anxiety, depression and the
quality of an individual's home life; and
  Whereas addiction is a consequence of fundamental changes in
brain function and reorganization of the brain's motivational
center; and
  Whereas researchers have isolated a number of genes, hormones
and chemicals in the brain that are directly related to certain
types of addictions?a development that could lead to the creation
of drugs that treat specific addictions; and
  Whereas understanding addiction as a disease has broad
implications for the ability to provide effective treatment for
individuals experiencing addiction and the ability to find
sustainable solutions to public health and social issues
resulting from addiction; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
  That we, the members of the Seventy-seventh Legislative
Assembly, declare that addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain
disease affecting an individual's behavior; and be it further
  Resolved, That prevention and treatment of addiction should
address biological, behavioral and environmental factors that
contribute to the development and progression of the disease.
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