Utah signs resolution declaring pornography a 'public health crisis'
Utah's Gov. Gary Herbert signed a resolution last Tuesday recognizing pornography as a "public health hazard." The legislation is the first of its kind in the United States.
It further states that pornography causes a lot of harm to both individual and public health, and that measures such as education and policy change are needed to address the "epidemic."
According to the legislation, children's exposure to hard-core pornography is increasing at an "alarming rate," with the average age of exposure beginning as early 11 or 12 years old, primarily because of the availability of the Internet. It also lists down some effects of viewing pornography, such as causing children to develop low self-esteem, increasing the demand for sex trafficking, and normalizing violence and abuse of women and children.
One of the points emphasized in the resolution is that pornography can be "potentially biologically addictive."
"I think most people today know that if they start using something like heroin or meth, they know that they have a risk of becoming addicted to it, but some people don't know that about pornography," Sen. Todd Weiler, sponsor of the resolution, told ABC News. However, he clarified that he was not pushing for the ban of pornography.
"What I am saying is we have taken steps to protect people from tobacco, but we haven't done that for pornography," he said, according to NBC News.
Speaking at a press conference, Herbert acknowledged there may be others who will disagree with the resolution.
"We realize this is a bold assertion and there are some out there who will disagree with us. We're here to say it is, in fact, the full-fledged truth," he said, according to Salt Lake Tribune.
The governor also signed another bill mandating computer technicians who happen to discover child pornography to report the matter to the authorities.
