ACR 82, Pan. Food allergy awareness.
This measure would encourage all Californians to make themselves and their families aware of the risk of food allergies and preventative measures, and to educate themselves regarding emergency responses and would declare September as Food Allergy Awareness Month.
WHEREAS, As many as 15 million people in the United States have a food allergy; and
WHEREAS, Research indicates the prevalence of food allergies is increasing among children. Six million children under 18 years of age, roughly two in every classroom, have a food allergy; and
WHEREAS, The eight foods that cause 90 percent of all food allergy reactions in the United States are shellfish, fish, milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, and wheat; and
WHEREAS, A food allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly targets a harmless food protein, an allergen, as a threat and attacks it. The immune system releases abnormally large amounts of antibodies that fight the food allergens, which in turn trigger the symptoms of an allergic reaction; and
WHEREAS, Symptoms of a food allergy can include a tingling sensation in the mouth, swelling of the tongue and throat, difficulty breathing, hives, vomiting, a drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness, or death; and
WHEREAS, Consumption of a food allergen may lead to anaphylaxis, a potentially fatal condition in which several different parts of the body experience the allergic reaction and can, within minutes of exposure, lead to difficulty breathing and unconsciousness; and
WHEREAS, The Natalie Giorgi Sunshine Foundation was created after the death of Natalie Marie Giorgi, a 13-year-old girl who passed away because of a severe allergic reaction to peanuts, in order to reduce dangerous food allergy deaths by spreading public awareness, providing education regarding emergency responses, and increasing the availability of epinephrine injectors in public places; and
WHEREAS, There is no cure for a food allergy, and the only sure way to avoid a reaction is to exercise strict avoidance of an allergen; and
WHEREAS, Food Allergy Research and Education, a nonprofit organization, works on behalf of 15 million people in the United States with food allergies to ensure the safety of individuals with food allergies by providing education and resources and investing in research that advances treatment and understanding of food allergies; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That all Californians be encouraged to make themselves and their families aware of the risk of food allergies and preventative measures, and to educate themselves regarding emergency responses; and be it further
Resolved, That September is Food Allergy Awareness Month; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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