I've mentioned many times during my tenure in the House of Delegates that one of my primary concerns is the protection and betterment of West Virginia's children. I believe there's a great deal we can do for children at the state level, but when it comes to lifestyles and behavior, most people agree that children learn best by the example their parents set.
That's why I was particularly concerned by the results of a recently released survey conducted for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the survey, West Virginia ranked first among the 50 states and four territories for high blood pressure and smokeless tobacco use, second for obesity and general poor health, and fourth for smoking.
The survey unveiled the following statistics: About 8.2 percent of West Virginians use smokeless tobacco; about one-quarter are obese; 24.2 percent say they are in fair or poor health; 28.2 percent are smokers; and 8.8 percent report having diabetes.
In January, I noted in my column that the House Health and Human Resources Committee adopted a resolution asking the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to conduct a study of what we could only refer to as a childhood obesity "epidemic." Severely overweight children often are not getting proper nutrition or exercise and their obesity can lead to chronic diseases. Unfortunately, that resolution died in the Senate. But I know the Legislature, in particular our health committee, will continue to monitor the situation.
Aside from concern over our health and our children's health, we should also consider the financial repercussions. According to an Associated Press report, the Public Employees Insurance Agency spent an estimated $68.2 million on obesity-related conditions between July 1, 2000 and June 30, 2001, while Medicaid expenditures for such conditions were more than $135 million during the same period. Meanwhile, the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health estimates the costs for tobacco-related healthcare costs in West Virginia are nearly $900 million per year.
When it comes to smoking and smokeless tobacco use, I'm hopeful that the Legislature's increases in taxes on both those substances will help deter some children from continuing to, or starting, the tobacco habit.
We all know the health risks associated with smoking and smokeless tobacco use. Cancer. Asthma. Emphysema. Hypertension. Chronic Bronchitis.
Unfortunately, some children who don't choose to smoke still suffer side effects. West Virginia has the highest rate of smoking during pregnancy in the nation - one our of every four pregnant women smoke, the president of the West Virginia Hospital Association has noted. Smoking during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, premature delivery and low birth weight babies.
I know the tobacco habit can be extremely difficult to break, and there are economic as well as cultural factors that make obesity a very difficult problem to overcome. But the Legislature and other state officials will continue to look at the root causes behind such health problems, with the intent of figuring out what can be done at the state level to help adults improve their situation, thereby setting a better example for their children, and grandchildren. That's a worthy goal for all of citizens.
I welcome and appreciate your input on these issues, or any other legislative matter. Please call me at (304)340-3106 or write to Delegate Virginia Mahan, 215-E, Capitol Complex, Charleston, WV 25305.