Utah officially became the first state to deem pornography as a "public health crisis" as Gov. Gary Herbert signed the resolution on April 19.
The resolution, which was passed last month, calls for improved prevention, education and changes in policies to fight pornography.
"We realize this is a bold assertion and there are some out there who will disagree with us," said Herbert.
"We're here to say it is, in fact, the full-fledged truth," he added.
Todd Weiler, a Republican state Senator introduced the resolution in January 2015, to address the effects of explicit material to public health and society as a whole.
Weiler said that the resolution is not intended to ban explicit material but it could lead to ways to protect children and families from it.
"This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor recognizes that pornography is a public health hazard leading to a broad spectrum of individual and public health impacts and societal harms," the resolution said.
Lawmakers identify pornography as a harmful epidemic that particularly affects young individuals and perpetuates a sexually toxic environment. Pornography could lead to various public health issues and harm the society in various ways.
The resolution states that education is essential to let the public know more about the harms of pornography.
Experts hope that this move in Utah could pave the way for other states to follow its footsteps to address the growing problem on pornography, especially since younger populations are more vulnerable to its effects.
Technological advancement has created ways for children and teens to have access to restricted sites. The universal availability of the internet has allowed young children to be exposed to pornography that was once dubbed taboo.
The average age of kids being exposed to porn sites is now between 11 and 12 years.
Being exposed to explicit material increases the risk of low self-esteem, body image disorders and problematic sexual activity in young children. It could also drive teens to be involved in risky sexual behavior and activities that could lead to a broad spectrum of public health issues.
Photo: Robby Van Arsdale | Flickr
