Georgia-2011-SR1150-Enrolled

By: Senators Stoner of the 6th, Butler of the 55th, Jones of the 10th, Unterman of the 45th, Mullis of the 53rd and others

Recognizing May, 2012, as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a term used to describe airflow obstruction that is associated mainly with emphysema and chronic bronchitis; and

WHEREAS, COPD affects an estimated 24 million people and kills more than 120,000 Americans every year; and

WHEREAS, on average, one person died from COPD every four minutes, an alarming statistic for a disease many have not learned about; and

WHEREAS, in 2010, the National Center for Health Statistics released a report stating that in 2008, COPD became the third leading cause of death in the United States; and

WHEREAS, pulmonary experts predict that by 2020, COPD will become the third leading cause of death world wide; and

WHEREAS, COPD currently accounts for 1.5 million emergency room visits, 726,000 hospitalizations, and 8 million physician office and hospital outpatient visits, all of which are a detriment to the United States economy; and

WHEREAS, COPD costs the nation an estimated $42.6 billion in direct and indirect medical costs annually; and

WHEREAS, research has identified a hereditary protein deficiency called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin, and people with the deficiency tend to develop COPD even without exposure to smoking or environmental triggers; and

WHEREAS, the recent death rate for women with COPD has surpassed the death rate of men, and women over the age of 40 are the fastest-growing segment of the population developing this irreversible disease due in large part to the equalization of opportunities for men and women to smoke over the past several generations; and

WHEREAS, there is currently no cure for COPD, and spirometry testing and medical treatments only exist to address symptom relief and possibly slow the progression of the disease; and

WHEREAS, the best approach to preventing COPD and its considerable health, societal, and mortality impacts lie with education, awareness, and expanded delivery of detection and management protocols.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body encourage citizens to educate themselves about Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and recognize May, 2012, as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the public and the press.