Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Prescription to smoke?

Details

  • Description

    Bill would make cigarettes prescription-only

  • Duration 4:19
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Editor's Picks

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

-- if passed one bill could leave smokers fuming the state of Oregon is striking let up legislation -- could force smokers.

To have a doctor's prescription in order to buy cigarettes is this a good idea joining us now for a fair and balanced debate is Ted king.

He's the author is a the war on smokers and the rise of the nanny state and John Banzhaf George Washington university law professor.

And founder of action on smoking and health and anti smoking group thanks very much to both the -- -- bands that.

At this point smoking is a health -- of course everybody knows that but it's also an adult choice people go into it knowing what they're getting into.

Why prevent people from hurting themselves.

Well very -- smoking cost the American public over 300 billion dollars a year which most of which is paid by nonsmokers so what.

Reasonable steps that we can take to help smokers quit most of them already want to quit.

Are good -- year by requiring prescriptions but make it much more difficult for teams to -- that have to have a fit.

Fake prescription as well as a fake ID.

And pharmacists -- you know Tucker.

Have a much higher legal obligation to be careful about dispensing drugs right also if we have smokers again eighty to 8090% already wanna quit.

Go to doctors.

They will get firsthand accurate impartial information about the dangers they will have access to test that might detect early problems like incipient emphysema.

And if necessary they'll get medical help in quitting so gonna save a lot of money we're gonna help us -- a lot of court to court and slash teen smoking -- When they need them any sort of as we also that obesity is more expensive than smoking of course because I'm forty -- or -- it actually including cancer and I wonder.

The man of the legislator who's sponsoring this -- -- -- Very heavy set man I'm wondering why we shouldn't require prescription proceed don't -- would not be big money saver too.

Doctor that's a dumb argument -- -- the slip and lose your argument I think.

You that it -- you gonna require prescription for every fattening food come on Tucker even you know -- -- -- I don't I don't know Dr.

-- what are very sound -- you explain it to you got sound bites but not sound arguments.

Thank you John ten.

Tell me why isn't this a good idea to see people for themselves smoking is bad we don't know that.

Well good morning Tucker didn't.

The reason this is a really bad ideas it cheapens the relationship between a doctor and patient.

It politicize this is the prescription process which should not happen.

It makes things even more inconvenient for people.

For one of the problems of this is.

You're gonna have.

A lot of doctors -- going to be asked to prescribe cigarettes do not gonna wanna do that with that's absurd.

It's going to cause.

People -- -- ensor -- gas stations grocery stores won't be able to sell cigarettes.

Loss of revenue right there in New York State for instance with the high taxation of cigarettes in that state.

Smuggling has gone up as cigarette taxes have gone up -- 190%.

Smuggling has gone up a 170%.

Since 2006.

Today in New York State sixty point 9% of cigarettes.

Are not purchased legally in New York State taxes are not paid right and the state loses revenue this is an absurd idea so it.

Isn't limited to the idea -- -- a ban on cigarettes would it not professor and as as you know and massive percentage of many state budgets come from tobacco taxes and the government would be checking itself when it.

I'll talk to you should know better than that the cost the smoking is about twenty times.

The amount the government get back -- -- and simply simply treating nicotine which is an established drug.

The same as we treat other drugs people have to go to their doctors for birth control pills or.

Erect tile dysfunction pills and why should we want to make it more convenient for smokers particularly for teen smokers to be able to buy cigarettes.

It's costing us all 300 billion dollars a year and if we treat nicotine like every other drug if you want her drug you go to a dollar and you have to -- every chance I thank you -- hit that they wish I had time to refute as little numbers which are.

Let me let me look at ourselves I know the numbers are -- and again let let me make up points I'm.

Load More