2016
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 16-009
       
       
       BY SENATOR(S) Martinez Humenik, Aguilar, Baumgardner, Carroll, Cooke,
       Crowder, Donovan, Garcia, Grantham, Guzman, Heath, Hill, Hodge, Holbert,
       Jahn, Johnston, Jones, Kefalas, Kerr, Lambert, Lundberg, Marble, Merrifield,
       Neville T., Newell, Roberts, Scheffel, Scott, Sonnenberg, Steadman, Tate,
       Todd, Ulibarri, Woods, Cadman;
       also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Brown, Arndt, Becker J., Becker K., Buck,
       Buckner, Carver, Conti, Coram, Court, Danielson, DelGrosso, Dore, Duran,
       Esgar, Everett, Fields, Foote, Garnett, Ginal, Hamner, Humphrey, Joshi, Kagan,
       Klingenschmitt, Kraft-Tharp, Landgraf, Lawrence, Lebsock, Lee, Leonard,
       Lontine, Lundeen, McCann, Melton, Mitsch Bush, Moreno, Navarro, Neville
       P., Nordberg, Pabon, Pettersen, Primavera, Priola, Rankin, Ransom, Rosenthal,
       Roupe, Ryden, Saine, Salazar, Sias, Singer, Thurlow, Tyler, Van Winkle, Vigil,
       Willett, Wilson, Windholz, Winter, Wist, Young, Hullinghorst.
       
       
          CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF FEBRUARY 2016 AS
       "SELF-CARE MONTH". 
       
       
          WHEREAS, Self-care is a lifelong daily habit of healthy lifestyle
       choices, good hygiene practices, prevention of infection and illness,
       avoiding unhealthy choices, monitoring for signs and symptoms of
       changes in health, knowing when to consult a health care practitioner, and
       knowing when it is appropriate to self-treat conditions; and
       
          WHEREAS, The United States Food and Drug Administration deems
       over-the-counter medicines safe and effective for the self-care treatment
       of minor acute and chronic health conditions and symptoms such as pain,
       the common cold, allergies, and other conditions that impact large
       segments of the population; and
       
          WHEREAS, Over-the-counter medicines are either developed as new
       nonprescription medicines or switched from existing prescription
       medicines; and
       
          WHEREAS, Over-the-counter nonprescription medicines are self-care
       products that consumers purchase in pharmacies, supermarkets, retail
       stores, and online; and
       
          WHEREAS, Every dollar spent on over-the-counter medicines saves
       the United States health care system about $6 each year, totaling $102
       billion in annual savings; and
       
          WHEREAS, Nonprescription medicines help to ease the burden on
       health care practitioners, eliminating unnecessary medical examinations
       that could be avoided with appropriate self-care; and
       
          WHEREAS, Colorado benefits when its citizens practice appropriate
       self-care, do not unnecessarily visit health care practitioners, and are
       empowered by higher self-esteem, improved health, and reduced use of
       health care services; and
       
          WHEREAS, Colorado encourages its citizens to take advantage of
       self-care's potential to improve personal and public health, save personal
       and public treasury, and strengthen the sustainability of the Colorado
       health care system; and
       
          WHEREAS, Achieving self-care's potential is a shared opportunity for
       consumers, health care practitioners, policymakers, and regulators; now,
       therefore,
       
          Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Seventieth General Assembly of the
       State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:
       
          That we, the General Assembly:
       
          (1)  Recognize the importance of improving awareness of self-care
       and the value it represents to the citizens of Colorado;
       
          (2)  Support increased consumer empowerment through the
       development of new nonprescription medicines and the appropriate
       switch of certain prescription medicines to nonprescription;
       
          (3)  Acknowledge that over-the-counter medicines can greatly reduce
       costs to the public health system;
       
          (4)  Encourage consumers, health care practitioners, policymakers,
       and regulators to communicate the benefits of self-care; and
       
          (5)  Recognize February 2016 as self-care month in Colorado.
       
       
       
       
       
       ____________________________  ____________________________
       Bill L. Cadman               Dickey Lee Hullinghorst
       PRESIDENT OF                    SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
       THE SENATE                        OF REPRESENTATIVES
       
       
       
       
       
       
       ____________________________  ____________________________
       Effie Ameen                           Marilyn Eddins
       SECRETARY OF                CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE
       THE SENATE                        OF REPRESENTATIVES