Bill proposed in Oregon would make cigarettes prescription-only drugs

I can see a new business coming..
In my basement.

Who wants a dime of some high quality Kentucky tobacca?

I admit it, I'm a smoker, that said:

I am violently opposed to any bill like this being put forward for one reason and one reason only, to do it, would lead the way for other things we all drink, eat etc to be made illegal, what happens when they make Chocolate that has X amount of Cacao in it illegal because of the fact that it causes a drug like reaction, how about coffee, Coffee has that evil caffeine in it we can't have that..

Remember, most of the things that the government has banned or severely regulated over time, are things that are natural.

The following is not advocating or in any way supporting illicit drug use, it is only a point being made about restriction

Back in the 1800's we had all sorts of "patent medicines" that would cure all and help all, most of those were made with Coca leave extract or Poppy extract (Cocaine and Opium as they are better known) sometime in the Early 20th Century, the government decided these natural components were dangerous (and they are) and removed them from the market and restricted their usage, as such we now see Cocaine and Opium as Schedule 2 Narcotics (even though it's a misnomer as a narcotic technically is an opiate) with major restrictions on who can use them, and give them out. And while coc aine isn't really used much medically, a topical prescription to help certain conditions is made, we use (or some of us with debilitating injuries) Opium based medicines produced legally and prescribed every day, even though there is a huge risk, but the United States is the only country to have such stringent restrictions on them, in other countries, over the counter medicines contain small amounts of opiates, and everyone is happy. When used as directed, most drugs in this class have little to no issues with people.

My point is, if this passes, we have just crossed the line between regulating the manufacture of dangerous and potentially addicting substances to full out assaults on everything from Coffee to Cacao, under the guise of keeping people healthy and stopping addiction. There's always going to be something that the human body can become addicted to, and there's always another demon around the corner, it's just cigarettes now instead of Opium.

I can tell you now there is nothing good about tobacco. Should government ban it? Of course not. Should they make it difficult and expensive. Possibly. Is tobacco a drug? Yes. Scripts required? yes...
But it should not be banned.
Who am I to tell someone they should not seek chronic obstructive pulmonary disease? If someone wants to feel like they are drowning in their own air for the last 10 years of their life so be it. Problem is that last 10 years is often times spent in nursing homes at the expense of the taxpayer. Should I have to pay for your healthcare after you spent a lifetime desiring to acquire lung disease? IF your healthcare costs skyrocket because of your smoking why on earth would I want to pay for it?
It is a drug. Prescriptions should be required.
Now Who am I? Well....I smoked for 20 years...when I started to get emphysema I was rightly warned, and I quit. Period. Now I can smell the moonflowers in the evening. Taste my chili without a ton of hot peppers, and ride a bike 100 miles in 6 hours.

I am a health care provider. I worked mainly with conditions of the elderly.
I have had patients that were so short of breath they were literally drowning in their own air. Very little helped them in their advanced disease. Many of them continued to smoke despite their illness.
Nearly every heavy smoker I have seen in advanced age [if they made it that far] did not fare well. Indeed, it is not something the average person would even want to see. So should Oregon require scripts for ciggs? You bet. It impacts the cost of my own healthcare bigtime. Cancer is the least of the smokers worries.
The fact that every breath taken requires a maximum effort just to stay alive is far worse than cancer.
The warnings are all there. IF you wish to smoke do so at your own peril. However in this case the government is correct. It does have an effect on others. Financially. Oregon is getting it right on this one.

I also hate olives. Those should be banned.

And who like broccoli?
BANNED.

I don't drink rum, , , ,
BANNED!

I don't like the "Twilight" series.
BANNED!

I can't stand "Glee".
BANNED!

So all I need is to get a few people who think like me, and dress it up in a health issue (because you shouldn't be able to determine what to do with your own body)

And BAN!

So this new proposed Bill to ban cigarettes does not include the nicotine patches and other smokeing alternatives manufactured by the large companies who have the gleeful opportunity to rise the prices as high as they want for no other reason other than they will be the sole provider for smokers. Who is backing the guy, because politicians usually are too gutless to go out on a limb by themselves.

How do these criminal morons keep getting into positions of power? Banning or making them prescription would probably cause a larger backlash than prohibition did. Another reason I want to see this bill fail miserably is because after they're done with the cigarettes, they can focus all their idiotic notions on e-cigs because if it looks like smoke, it must be smoke (thank you new jersey dimwit) and I swear to whatever god is listening that if they take my e-cig away, someone is getting mauled.

This will never happen. All sounds good on paper until they show the people how much their taxes will go up to cover the loss of the cigarette tax.

reply to post by Obsrvr

Well now, after seeing the OP I have just one thought on first impressions to this idea.

What a way to bring a whole new level of criminal and crime to prescription drug abuse. Just make something that is near heroin like for addiction ...a prescription! Instant-Criminals for millions.

Only Governments can come up with such brilliance to think addiction can be outlawed or handled this way.

Originally posted by Dondylion


Your smoke also escapes your household and goes into the air for everyone around you to breathe. My argument does work.

Also, nice way of avoiding my other points.

Are you even serious?

There is no protocol anywhere that would include cigarettes. No medicinal value.

Heroine. '___'. Meth. Cocktail drugs (like "trail mix"). None of these drugs is available for any medicinal usage. They are schedule 1 drugs. Cigs would qualify under that. But I don't see it happening.

reply to post by beezzer


I propose a ban on TV and sugar
One kills the mind and one kills the body

Oh, and a ban on religion, it kills the soul

Cigarettes kill more people in one year than most wars. I am a smoker and have tried to quite several times to no avail. I have been saying that it is pure hypocrisy that they are trying to ban guns under the guise of saving lives yet I can buy a pack of smokes at any corner store. I think this is a stupid law but at least it is fair handed in relation to guns. It will never pass if for no other reason than the Tabaco companies have too much power but at least I see the reasoning in it.

Suicide is frowned upon doctor assisted is illegal and smoking does kill just in a much slower fashion. I think it is all just a matter of perspective. If they did outlaw it here I certainly wouldn’t be trying to get a prescription and forget black markets. The ease of access to them is at least partially why it is so hard to quit. Anyway goodbye Uncle Sam hello to the nanny state.

Originally posted by Grimpachi
Cigarettes kill more people in one year than most wars. I am a smoker and have tried to quite several times to no avail.

Try Champix. I've been cigarette free for a month. And believe me, I was a heavy smoker for 27 years. I would wake up at night because I need it to smoke. If I can quit, everyone can.

This bill will never pass. However, assuming it did pass, folks can easily order cigarettes online (which is much less expensive anyway) and have them shipped to their home via the USPS. By using the USPS, one eliminates the potential for tampering at the state level, as your mail is federally protected.

Nonetheless, as a 25-year, 2-pack a day smoker (I actually have not had one in 23 days), I wish cigarettes were more difficult to obtain. I have tried to quit so many times, only to have a weak moment and buy more at my corner convenience store.

Originally posted by resoe26
I can see a new business coming..
In my basement.

Who wants a dime of some high quality Kentucky tobacca?

Better to grow your own organic. Everyone who smokes should. I've been looking into that for a few years.

reply to post by Obsrvr


IF this passes, Oregon will
lose a ton of tax revenue dollars
and then they will have to hike other
taxes to make up for the lost revenue!!

Cigarettes come with enough punishment/penalties of their own. NO need to legislate any more. Smokers pay more than enough already. Let them die in peace.

reply to post by Unity_99


I do not smoke, but I am seriously looking into putting in a backyard tobacco crop. After I get rid of some non productive citrus trees and put some good topsoil on this baked desert. I only hope the termites will leave the tobacco alone. My potato crop turned into termite condos.

Originally posted by HawkeyeNation
This will never happen. All sounds good on paper until they show the people how much their taxes will go up to cover the loss of the cigarette tax.

I propose a tax on legislation! I would tax legislation by the word with every five spaces counted as one word. This would bring in a ton of money and give legislators something worthwhile to spend their ill gotten bribes and campaign contributions on.