Raising age for smokers from 18 to 21, and require a Dr's prescription to get smokes?

[The Straight Story]

Young smokers getting burned?
Legislators hope to use bill to combat underage smoking; bill would be first of its kind

Oregon is one of 16 states that adopted a statewide smoking ban in restaurants and bars this year, but a bill in the state legislature could make Oregon the first state to raise the minimum age for tobacco possession from 18 to 21.

Rep. Mitch Greenlick (D-Portland) said he sponsored the bill in an attempt to decrease the instances of underage tobacco use.

"I am doing anything I can to stop smoking in the state," he said. "I was addicted at the age of 15 and quickly started smoking three packs a day until I was 26 ... It is so much easier to just never start, and that is why I have made it my mission to ensure that the state of Oregon makes it tougher for young people to get a hold of tobacco."

Greenlick has proposed an amendment for the bill that would make it illegal to acquire tobacco without a doctor's prescription. However, he said the bill is not likely to pass this session and said he sponsored it to get the state thinking about what it can do to be less dependent on tobacco tax money and ensure fewer people start smoking.

"Tobacco is one of the most addictive drugs available and it is legalized, while marijuana is much less addictive and harmful than tobacco and is illegal," Greenlick said. "We spend $100 million a year on state medicaid for people who have smoked, and that money comes from tobacco taxes. The way I see it, if we just get rid of tobacco, we will eradicate the problem of sickness caused by it and save the state money in the end."

http://media.www.dailyemerald.com/media/storage/paper859/news/2009/04/07/News/Young.Smokers.Getting.Burned-3700139.shtml

[johnnie]

1. It won't pass

Too much tax money rollin' in.

[flvegan]

2. Agreed.

[OhioChick]

3. Yep. n/t

[Canuckistanian]

19. And Tobacco company political donations

They're still giving.

[DJ13]

4. If its that tightly regulated they should tax it more like alcohol

[virgogal]

5. Madness. The country is in a mess andf THIS is what they

do with their time?

[Warpy]

6. Greenlick is nuts

I'd like to see fewer dumb kids start, but higher taxes are accomplishing that pretty well. They don't have enough money to start until they get jobs and then there are so many other things competing for low pay that cigarettes have a low priority.

Sometimes slowing them down is the best you can do.

I'd hate to see them on prescription. That would only start up a huge, nasty black market that would likely dwarf the black market in other drugs.

[panader0]

7. Tobacco, like grass, guns, or almost anything

is available to whoever wants it whenever they want it. Prohibition doesn't work, any will eventually make criminals of us all.

[ixion]

15. precisely

someday, maybe we'll learn, eh?

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

8. Tax candy instead. Sugar causes many health problems also.

[Historic NY]

9. They will always get them I know I was a teen once...

after smoking from age 14-50 I finally quit. Kids will always find a way around getting smokes I did.

[OHdem10]

10. We Dems cannot miss an opportunity to be called Nannies of the

Nannie State. We love to control others behavior just as much as
the Righties. It is a matter of which behavior.

[justabob]

11. we knew it was coming

Years ago now, 15 or so, I can remember having a convrsation about smoking, and the group having the conversation knew, even then, that this was coming down the pike. I know smoking is bad, and expensive, and all the rest of it, but there is so much more out there more deserving of our energy and time..... sigh.

[KamaAina]

12. How is that going to "decrease the instances of underage tobacco use"?

All it will do is make 20-year-olds underage instead of 17-year-olds. If anything, it would increase the instances of underage tobacco use.

Methinks Rep. Greenlick (D-Nanny State) meant to say "decrease the instances of teenage tobacco use.".

[LiberalFighter]

13. I think this will be difficult to regulate.

Will they be able to prosecute out-of-state residents visiting the state?

[Speck Tater]

14. Why not? After all, prohibition worked so well.

:sarcasm:

(Disclaimer: I am presently 39 days smoke free)

[Politicalboi]

16. How does one get

A prescription for tobacco? LOL! Is this man that stupid to think tobacco has the same medicinal use as Marijuana?

[dflprincess]

17. Yeah, they're all so concerned about our health

until is comes to a single payer system.

[Texasgal]

18. dumb.

seriously.

[FudaFuda]

20. by all means, lets make this country less free in every possible respect

sorry, i know all the public health and safety arguments. haven't touched a cigarette in 5 years, and never will again. but it someone chooses to gradually wreck their health through the course of their lifetime in order to have an enjoyable crutch/habit to depend on for solace, that's their business.

what's next? liquor? hang gliding? roller skating?

[customerserviceguy]

21. It'll never work

Eighteen year olds already get just about all the beer they could want, how would it be any different with tobacco? Besides, about half of all Oregonians live within an hour of the Washington border, and they'd just drive to Vancouver, WA for their smokes.

[Statistical]

22. Common sense isn't that common I guess...

""I am doing anything I can to stop smoking in the state," he said. "I was addicted at the age of 15 and quickly started smoking three packs a day until I was 26 ..."

So legal smoking age was 18 but he BROKE THE LAW and started smoking at 15.

So raising the legal smoking age to 21 is going to prevent people from smoking?

Is the thinking something like this:
I am willing to break the law if it is 18 but not if it is 21?

[MADem]

23. You'd better roll voting and joining the military up to 21, too.

Frankly, I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to spit the difference, and perhaps make all of these "adult" amusements--smoking, drinking, joining the military AND voting-- legal at age nineteen or twenty.

Next thing you know, the Nanny Staters will want to require a prescription for ice cream, or chocolate.

[corruptmewithpower]

24. Smugglers can always use a new gig.

[Betty]

25. what Dr. is going to prescribe cigarettes???

they are supposed to do no harm.