WV HCR72

Proclaims March as "Black Lung Awareness Month" in West Virginia to honor coal miners suffering from coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP)

Black lung disease is caused by inhaling coal dust, which inflames and scars the lungs over time, shortening life expectancy by an average of 12.6 years

The disease is irreversible and progressive, often requiring ongoing medical care, lung function testing, X-rays, pulmonary rehabilitation, supplemental oxygen, and in severe cases lung transplants

Emphasizes that black lung is preventable through OSHA safety standards including wearing masks, dust removal protocols, and regulated limits on coal dust in mines

References the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 and the Black Lung Benefits Act, which provides monthly payments to affected miners and their survivors