LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor David A. Paterson to
proclaim April 2010, as Alcohol Awareness Month in the State of New York

WHEREAS, The Alcohol Awareness Month observance is an effort to encour-
age communities across the State of New York to focus on alcoholism and
alcohol-related issues; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to memorialize Governor
David A. Paterson to proclaim April 2010, as Alcohol Awareness Month in
the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Alcohol contributes to 100,000 deaths annually, making it the
third leading cause of preventable mortality in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Nearly 13.8 million Americans have problems with drinking,
including 8 million who are alcoholics; about 43% of United States
adults - 76 million - have been exposed to alcoholism in the family, and
62% of high school seniors report that they have been drunk; and
WHEREAS, People who begin drinking before the age of 15 are four times
more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin after age 21; and
WHEREAS, Nearly one fourth of all persons admitted to general hospi-
tals have alcohol problems or are undiagnosed alcoholics being treated
for the consequences of their drinking; and
WHEREAS, Based on victim reports, each year 183,000 (37%) rapes and
sexual assaults involve alcohol use by the offender, as do just over
197,000 (15%) of robberies, about 661,000 (27%) aggravated assaults, and
nearly 1.7 million (25%) simple assaults; and
WHEREAS, Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) which can occur when women drink
during pregnancy is the leading environmental cause of mental retarda-
tion in the Western World; and
WHEREAS, Alcoholism is a preventable, treatable disease; alcoholic-re-
lated problems are not likely to be reduced by strategies involving
single interventions directed solely at the individual; economic, poli-
tical, social, and environmental forces that work together to encourage
and perpetuate these problems must be addressed; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that it express its
strong concerns about alcohol and its impact on our youth and communi-
ties; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate April 2010, as Alcohol Awareness Month in the State of New
York, and to provide an opportunity to underscore important efforts
surrounding alcohol and its related problems; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable David A. Paterson, Governor of the State of New
York.