Oregon Lawmaker Proposes Law to Make Cigarettes Rx-Only

A New Oregon law might classify cigarettes as a Schedule III controlled substance, requiring smokers to obtain a doctor’s prescription in order to purchase a pack.

Portland Representative Mitch Greenlick is proposing the bill in an effort to reduce the number of cigarette smokers in the state. Under the bill, smokers would be charged with a misdemeanor and face up to one year in prison, along with thousands of dollars in fines.

And the law applies to more than just cigarettes – chewing tobacco and nicotine patches are not exempt. Law enforcement officials would be able to inspect any product they believe contains nicotine.

Opponents argue that if passed, the “ridiculous” law’s consequences might cause the entire state “to implode from violent warfare,” to say the least.

Flickr photo courtesy of Fried Dough