Arizona considering declaring porn a 'public health crisis'

Bill says excessive porn consumption can trigger extreme or violent sexual behaviours

Democrats say porn addiction is a problem but the resolution did not use scientific evidence to demonstrate the state needs to announce a public health crisis (Getty/iStockphoto)

Politicians in Arizona are calling for pornography to be declared a public health crisis – saying porn “perpetuates a sexually toxic environment”.

Arizona state representative Michelle Udall has introduced a resolution declaring “pornography is a crisis leading to a broad spectrum of individual and public health impacts”.

The resolution says porn pushes a sexually toxic environment that “damages all areas of our society”.

Ms Udall’s bill argues children being exposed to widely available porn on the internet can lead to “low self-esteem, eating disorders and an increase in problematic sexual activity at ever-younger ages”.

The measure draws attention to research that has shown pornography is biologically addictive.

“Potential detrimental effects on pornography users include toxic sexual behaviours, emotional, mental and medical illnesses and difficulty forming or maintaining intimate relationships,” the measure says.

The proposal also says excessive porn consumption can trigger extreme or violent sexual behaviours.

It “normalises violence and the abuse of women and children by treating them as objects, increasing the demand for sex trafficking, prostitution and child porn,” says the measure.

“Like the tobacco industry, the pornography industry has created a public health crisis,” Ms Udall told lawmakers. “Pornography is used pervasively, even by minors.”

Opponents are in agreement that excessive porn poses dangers but they argue the resolution fails to address the underlying problem.

Democrat Pamela Powers Hannley, who is sponsoring a different bill which focuses on medically accurate sex education, said: “If we really want to look at this, we should start with education.

“It’s embarrassing that we are one of the states that does not have medically accurate sex education. In testimony, they were trying to blame everything on pornography. That is a stretch.”

Arizona ranks fourth lowest in America for offering comprehensive sexual education in middle school, according to a 2016 report from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Democrats said porn addiction is a problem but the resolution did not use scientific evidence to demonstrate that the state needs to announce a public health crisis.

“There are statements in here that seem hyperbolic and unproven,” Democrat representative Kelli Butler said. “I just don’t think there is necessarily the science to back up those claims.”

Republican representative Jay Lawrence, who voted for the measure, said: “I don’t disagree that the bill needs more teeth. That is our goal.”

The resolution passed a committee vote along party lines and now moves to the Arizona House where Republicans hold a slim majority.

According to the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, similar measures have been passed in 11 states declaring porn a public health crisis.

This comes after a Republican lawmaker in Arizona recently proposed an unusual – albeit not entirely unprecedented – proposal seeking to fund US president Donald Trump’s border wall by charging tech users who wish to watch porn online.

Gail Griffin, an 84-year-old senator serving in the Arizona House of Representatives, unveiled a measure that would install a block on all software sold in the state capable of accessing the internet.

Consumers would be unable to access sites featuring pornography under the new legislation unless they were willing to prove their age and pay a fee to the Arizona Commerce Authority. Users would be required to prove they are 18 or above and be forced to pay $20 (£15) in order for the block to be removed.