Utah declares porn a 'public health hazard'

On Tuesday, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) signed legislation declaring a "public health crisis" over pornography, a first in the U.S., after the resolution passed unanimously through the state legislature in March. The nonbinding resolution does not seek to ban porn in the conservative state, calling instead for more "education, prevention, research, and policy change at the community and societal level” to "prevent pornography exposure and addiction." It describes pornography as "a public health hazard leading to a broad spectrum of individual and public health impacts and societal harms."

Easily accessed pornography "perpetuates a sexually toxic environment" and "is contributing to the hypersexualisation of teens, and even prepubescent children, in our society," the resolution states. Critics, including porn industry groups, called it "an old-fashioned morals bill." A 2009 study from the Harvard Business School found that Utah had America's highest rate of pornography subscribers, BBC News notes. You can read the legislation, or learn more in the Newsy report below. Peter Weber

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