Bill Proposed in Oregon Would Make Cigarettes Prescription-Only Drugs

If you’re a regular smoker, you may want to keep an eye on a new bill in the Oregon Legislature.

Rep. Mitch Greenlick, from Portland, is sponsoring a bill that makes cigarettes a Schedule III controlled substance, meaning it would be illegal to possess or distribute cigarettes without a doctor’s prescription.

Under the proposal, offenders would face maximum punishments of one year in prison, a $6,250 fine or both.

Other drugs and substances that are considered Schedule III controlled substances are ketamine, lysergic acid and anabolic steroids.

“The State Board of Pharmacy may adopt rules placing requirements and limitations on the sale or transfer of products containing nicotine,” the bill’s text says.

Greenlick also made headlines this week by suggesting a state committee look into the hiring procedure used by the University of Oregon when it named Mark Helfrich the new Ducks head coach.

Read original here: http://www.kptv.com/story/20662618/bill-proposed-in-oregon-would-make-cigarettes-prescription-only-drugs