LAWMAKERS WON'T CALL NICOTINE A DRUG

Measure criticized in House debate for failure to restrict tobacco sales to
minors

Hartford - While nobody argued that nicotine isn't addictive, state
legislators have rejected a proposal to classify the substance as a drug.

Instead, debate Thursday in the House of Representatives focused more on how
the measure would affect retailers and sales to children.

"No one took me on about the question of (nicotines's) properties as a
drug," said Rep. Patricia A. Dillon, D-New aHaven, who introduced the
measure. "I'm not dissuaded at all. I'm pleased we got as far as we did."

The measure, which was proposed as an amendment to a bill, died on an 86-60
vote.

It would have meant that cigarettes and other tobacco products could be sold
only in pharmacies and stores that have licenses to sell over-the-counter
drugs, such as cough medicine and pain relievers.

It would not have banned sales of cigarettes from vending machines, nor
would a prescription have been required for the purchase of products
containing nicotine.

Under the proposal, retailers caught selling tobacco productes to children
would have been able to keep their license, but would have lost the right to
sell tobacco.

"It makes no sense to make it harder to sell aspirin than tobacco," Dillon
said. "It makes absolutely no sense."

Rep. Lawrence Cafero Jr., R-Norwalk, agreed that tobacco sales should be
restricted - especially to minors. But he criticized Dillon's proposal for
failing to do that.

Cafero said the measure added nothing to the penalties that are already in
place for selling cigarettes to children.

"On its face, Representative Dillon said this amendment is really going to
make smoking childproof," Cafero said. "And how do we disagree with that?
But if you scratch the surface ... you find that it does not do that."

Opponents said one of the problems with the measure is its possible impact
onthe state's tobacco farmers. (newshawk note: Connecticut only produces
cigar wraps)

"This amendment is probably no more than what will be a ban on tobacco
products in time to come," said Rep. Stephen M. Jarmoc, D-Enfield, who is a
tobacco farmer.

Rep. Janet K. Lockton, R-Greenwich, said Connecticut should not be the first
state to call nicotine a drujg.

"There's no other state, there's not other country ... that's classified
nicotine and cigarettes and cigars as a drug," she said. "And until that
time, I think it would be premature for the state of Connecticut to take
that very broad step."