Bill Text: OR HCR16 | 2013 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Recognizing addiction as a disease.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2013-07-08 - In committee upon adjournment. [HCR16 Detail]
Download: Oregon-2013-HCR16-Engrossed.html
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 { + braces and plus signs + } . 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. ----------