Reps. Spade, Ball, Lisa Brown, Constan, LeBlanc, Liss, Mayes, Neumann, Pearce,

Polidori, Proos, Slavens and Tyler offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 325.  

A resolution to declare September 9, 2010, as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Awareness Day in the state of Michigan.

Whereas,  The term `Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders' includes a broader range of conditions than the term `Fetal Alcohol Syndrome' and therefore has replaced the term `Fetal Alcohol Syndrome' as the umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy;

            Whereas, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are the leading cause of cognitive disability in western civilization, including the United States, and are 100 percent preventable;

            Whereas, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are a major cause of numerous social disorders, including learning disabilities, school failure, juvenile delinquency, homelessness, unemployment, mental illness, and crime;

            Whereas, The incidence rate of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is estimated at 1 out of 500 live births and the incidence rate of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders is estimated at 1 out of every 100 live births;

            Whereas, Healthy children are the most important resource in the great state of Michigan,

and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders pose a serious threat to the potential health of our

future generations; and

            Whereas, More than 30 years have passed since Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was

identified and named as a birth disorder by United States researchers; and

            Whereas, Prenatal exposure to alcohol can cause birth defects, cognitive impairment,

learning disabilities, and attention deficits; and

            Whereas, The estimated number of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders per year numbers over 30,000; and

            Whereas, Individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders often have secondary hardships, such as trouble with the law, substance abuse issues, disrupted school experiences, employment problems, and homelessness; and

            Whereas, People around the world began observing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome International Awareness Day on September 9th of each year beginning in 1999. In order that on the ninth day of the ninth month of the year the world will remember that a woman should abstain from alcohol during the nine months of pregnancy; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body

declare September 9, 2010, as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day in the state

of Michigan. We strongly urge all citizens to increase their knowledge of the effects of prenatal

exposure to alcohol, to increase their level of compassion for individuals affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, and to do all which may lie in their power to reduce the incidence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in the state of Michigan in the future.