Florida could declare porn a health threat under new bill

TALLAHASSEE — The state could declare pornography a public health risk that needs education, research and policy changes to protect Floridians, according to a resolution overwhelmingly approved by a House committee Thursday.

The resolution is being sponsored by Republican Rep. Ross Spano, also a candidate for attorney general. He has previously passed legislation to help victims of human trafficking.

“Research has found a correlation between pornography use and mental and physical illnesses, difficulty forming and maintaining intimate relationships, unhealthy brain development and cognitive function, and deviant, problematic or dangerous sexual behavior,” he said before the House Health & Human Services Committee approved the resolution on an 18-1 vote.

The resolution spells out those risks and several others, including an increased demand for prostitution. It also says children are being exposed to pornography at a younger age because of advancements in technology.

To emphasize that point, he held up his smartphone, saying children have access to pornography 24 hours a day.

The resolution says, “a child who views pornography is at a higher risk of developing low self-esteem, an eating disorder, and a desire to engage in dangerous sexual behavior.”

A similar Senate resolution has yet to be heard in a committee.

The one “no” vote came from Republican Rep. Cary Pigman, a medical doctor. He said after the meeting that there are more important health issues the state should be focused on.

“We have problems with hypertension, with obesity, with diabetes, with Zika. We have a whole list of things that are important medically,” he said. “I’m not so sure that we need to spend legislative time annunciating a specific complaint when we have others that are far more pressing.”