Bill Text: HI SCR156 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Xylitol; DOH Promotion

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-04-01 - (H) Referred to HLT, CPC, referral sheet 58 [SCR156 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SCR156-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2859

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 156

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 156 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH TO ENDORSE XYLITOL FOR ITS PREVENTIVE AND THERAPEUTIC HEALTH AND ORAL HEALTH BENEFITS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Director of Health to endorse xylitol for its preventive and therapeutic health and oral health benefits.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the American Dental Hygienists' Association.  Testimony in opposition was received from the Department of Health.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     The Hawaii Dental Workforce report released on December 11, 2008 at the annual meeting of the Hawaiian Islands Oral Health Task Force concludes that "Hawaii is struggling with issues related to access to oral health for all residents as well as for vulnerable populations, a shortage or maldistribution of dental practitioners, poor oral health among many subpopulations, and funding an optimal oral health care system.  There are approximately five hundred studies on PubMed that support xylitol as an effective preventative and therapeutic agent in the prevention and treatment of diabetes and dental disease, among illnesses and conditions.

     Incorporating xylitol into health care programs for children, the elderly, and other populations (such as the institutionalized) will substantially reduce dental caries, upper respiratory infections, and ear infections, and lower glycemic indices, thereby assisting in the maintenance of good health for the people of this State.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Clarifying that the Director of Health is requested to promote the use of xylitol, rather than endorse its use;

 

(2)  Adding that the Director is requested to incorporate xylitol into the Healthy Hawaii Initiative as appropriate;

 

(3)  Changing the title according to the foregoing amendments; and

 

(4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 156, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 156, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

		____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair