Utah politicians declared on April 19, Tuesday that pornography such as online porn is a public health crisis. The state's Republican governor Gary Herbert signed the declaration at a ceremonial signing. Politicians and anti-porn activists in the mostly Mormon state called porn a plague and disease that threatens marriages and can result in sexual violence.

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Many conservative religious groups in Utah have stepped up their fight against pornography as it is now easier to access on PCs, smartphones, and tablets.   

Republican State Senator Todd Weiler argued that pornography is not just a religious moral issue, according to Los Angeles Times. He  also said it is not an issue about sex education.

However, critics of Utah's declaration say it over-states the effects of porn. In fact, some claim that it can be a healthy outlet for adults.

The Free Speech Coalition is an adult entertainment trade group. It referred to Utah's statement as an "old-fashioned" one that is based on ignorance and bias. The group noted in a statement that people who have access to XXX movies are less likely to commit sex crimes.

Over half of Utah's residents are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is one of the conservative religions that in recent years have tried to portray pornography as harmful.

Some social conservatives in the state consider magazines and TV ads featuring women wearing bikinis and low-cut shirts as soft porn. In addition, they have referred to lingerie catalogs as "gateway porn."

Many of the people at the signing ceremony at the state Capitol in Salt Lake City wore T-shirts that included the phrase "Porn kills love." Herbert argued that the declaration that does not change existing laws does not infringe on any Utah resident's rights

In related news, Pornhub recently launched a channel that features 360-degree virtual reality porn videos, according to Mashable. The web's largest pornography website teamed up with 360-degree adult video producer BaDoink.

Pornhub is offering the VR channel for free. The promotion video claims that VR porn is great for all occasions. It only requires a VR headset including Oculus Rift, Gear VR, or Google Cardboard; and Internet access.   

This video addresses if Utah has a porn emergency: