US: Utah politician calls porn 'public health hazard' that is harming citizens and the nation

A politician from Utah has spoken out against the evils of pornography as it emerged that adult movies are downloaded by more people in the state than anywhere else in the US. Senator Todd Weiler has introduced legislation asking the state to recognise that pornography is creating a public health crisis, breaking up families and corrupting children. Weiler has previously called for the banning of sexual imagery in standard adverts, claimig they act as a "gateway" to harder stuff.

Resolution SCR009 states: "Whereas pornography use is linked to lessening desire in young men to marry, dissatisfaction in marriage, and infidelity. Legislature and the Governor [must] recognise the need for education, prevention, research, and policy change at the community and societal level in order to address the pornography epidemic that is harming the people of our state and nation."

However some experts have poured scorn on some of the "pseudo-science" used in the bill, including the claim that "potential detrimental effects on pornography's users can impact brain
development and functioning, contribute to emotional and medical illnesses, shape deviant
sexual arousal, and lead to difficulty in forming or maintaining intimate relationships, as well
as problematic or harmful sexual behaviors and addiction."

Psychology Today said the legislative action was "based on hyperbole and morality, ignoring much of what is known about pornography and its effects. Further, the Senator's resolution relies on pseudoscience in a manner which has no place in governmental action."

It is unclear why Utah – a deeply conservative state with some of the strictest alcohol laws in the US – is so addicted to porn. However, though Utah residents visit PornHub more often than anyone else, they do not tend to hang around when they get there. The average length of their stay at the notorious adult website is just nine minutes 15 seconds according to the website's data.