2023 -- H 6250
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LC000246
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
PROCLAIMING APRIL OF 2023 TO BE "ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH" IN THE
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
Introduced By: Representatives Casey, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Craven,
Caldwell, Dawson, O'Brien, Phillips, and Marszalkowski
Date Introduced: April 04, 2023
Referred To: House read and passed
WHEREAS, Alcohol Awareness Month is a public health program which began in April 1
of 1987, and is organized by the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence as a way 2
of increasing outreach and education regarding the dangers of alcoholism and issues related to 3
alcohol; and 4
WHEREAS, Alcohol abuse affects everyone, not simply the person with the drinking 5
problem. It impacts family, friends, and the workplace. The numerous initiatives promulgated 6
during Alcohol Awareness Month benefits everyone, and all people and organizations are 7
welcome to participate including parents, schools, healthcare facilities, medical professionals, law 8
enforcement, substance abuse organizations, faith-based groups and other important community 9
organizations; and 10
WHEREAS, The disease of addiction, including dangerous alcohol use, continues to 11
devastate Rhode Island’s communities and remains a public health emergency that poses a 12
significant public health safety threat to our State; and 13
WHEREAS, According to the National Institute of Health’s 2020 Monitoring the Future 14
Survey, alcohol is the most used substance by both young people and adults in the United States. 15
Their survey results showed that more than 55 percent of high school seniors used alcohol, with 16
more than 25 percent of people 18 or older admitting that they engaged in binge drinking in the 17
past month. Approximately 95,000 Americans die from alcohol-related causes each year; and 18
WHEREAS, According to the National Center For Health Statistics, alcohol-related 19
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deaths in the United States increased from 39,000 in 2019, to 40,000 in 2020, and preliminary 1
data from 2021 shows that the number of alcohol-related deaths increased again to 52,000. The 2
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that excessive alcohol use costs the United 3
States Economy approximately 249 billion dollars; and 4
WHEREAS, According to the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence, 5
excessive alcohol abuse causes 75 percent of esophageal cancers, 36 percent of the cases of 6
primary liver cancer, and nearly 50 percent of cancers of the mouth, pharynx and larynx. Chronic 7
drinking increases a woman’s chance of getting breast cancer by 10 percent, and causes 65 8
percent of all cases of pancreatitis. Among emergency room patients admitted for injuries, 47 9
percent tested positive for alcohol and 35 percent were intoxicated. Overall, alcoholics are ten 10
times more likely to develop general carcinoma, accidents related to alcohol use are among the 11
leading causes of death for teenagers, and more than 140,000 Americans die from the effects of 12
alcohol yearly; and 13
WHEREAS, The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics reports that nearly 18 percent 14
of Rhode Islanders over the age of 18 binge drink at least once per month. Annually, 493 deaths 15
in Rhode Island are attributable to excessive alcohol abuse. Overall, alcohol related deaths per 16
capita in Rhode Island increased by 39 percent from 2015 to 2019; and 17
WHEREAS, In December of 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (P.L. 18
116-260) was enacted, which included $1.65 billion in the supplemental Substance Abuse 19
Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant funding as provided as part of the law’s section 20
dedicated to COVID-19 relief and in March of 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (P.L. 117-2) 21
was enacted, which included $1.5 billion in longer term supplemental SAPT Block Grant 22
funding; now, therefore be it 23
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 24
proclaims April of 2023 to be “Alcohol Awareness Month”; and be it further 25
RESOLVED, That this House hereby respectfully requests that the Governor of the State 26
of Rhode Island, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, the Department of 27
Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals, the Department of Corrections, 28
and the Department of Health consider utilizing the supplemental SAPT Block Grant funding 29
provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan for these efforts; 30
and be it further 31
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 32
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Daniel McKee, Governor of the 33
State of Rhode Island, Ana P. Novais, Acting Secretary of the Rhode Island Executive Office of 34
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Health and Human Services, Patricia A. Coyne-Fugue, Esq., Director of the Rhode Island 1
Department of Corrections, Utpala Bandy, MD, MPH, Interim Director of The Rhode Island 2
Department of Health, and Richard Charest, Director of the Rhode Island Department of 3
Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals. 4
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