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Oregon Lawmaker Asking For Prescription To Smoke Cigarettes

Austin leads the way when it comes to anti-smoking measures: it's the first city in Texas to ban it indoors. And while some groups want it outdoors, that's nothing compared to what one Oregon lawmaker wants to do to curb smoking.

A state representative from Portland is sponsoring a bill that would make nicotine a Schedule III controlled substance. That would put it in the same league as anabolic steroids. That means if you don't have a doctor's prescription, you can't have or distribute cigarettes. If so, it could mean hard time: up to a year in jail, up to $6,250 in fines, or both.

Nothing quite as extreme has been proposed in Texas, but changes could still be on the way here. State Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) has introduced a bill that would ban smoking in workplaces and public places. Another Austin advocacy group, Live Tobacco Free Austin, is pushing for the city's indoor ban to be extended to outdoor decks and patios.

San Rafael, a city in northern California, recently passed one of the country's toughest smoking laws. They banned smoking in duplexes, condos, and multi-family homes, as well as some downtown areas.

By Adam Bennett