Kentucky Lawmaker's Bill Forces Men to Get Note From Wives Before Purchasing Viagra

By Peter Holley, The Washington Post

15 February 16

ired of what she considers the government inserting itself into women’s private lives, a Kentucky lawmaker has decided to return the favor.

Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, a Louisville Democrat, has introduced a bill that would force men who want to use erectile dysfunction drugs to jump through a series of humiliating hoops beforehand, such as visiting a doctor twice and getting notes from their wives.

“I want to protect these men from themselves,” Marzian, who is a nurse, told the Courier-Journal.

“This is about family values,” she added.

Mazian told Fox affiliate WDRB that House Bill 396 would also require that someone seeking Viagra, Cialis, Levitra or Avanafil “make a sworn statement with his hand on a Bible that he will only use a prescription for a drug for erectile dysfunction when having sexual relations with his current spouse.”

“I started thinking, ‘How would this body of men feel if the government was injecting [itself] into their private medical decisions,’ ” she added.

Marzian’s proposal arrives a week after Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) signed a bill requiring women to consult with a doctor at least 24 hours before an abortion, according to the Courier-Journal. The “informed consent” bill, as it was labeled, passed with 92 “yes” votes on Jan. 28, according to WDRB.  Marzian was one of three members of the Kentucky House to vote against the law, the station noted.

An abortion rights supporter, Marzian has argued that government should not be able to interfere with people’s medical decisions. She told WDRB that her proposal was also inspired by her fellow lawmakers’ values.

“We are very ‘family values’ in the Kentucky General Assembly — they are all awash in Christian family values, so that’s why I put that part in there that [erectile pills] can only be used in a marital relationship,” she said.

Marzian admitted to the station that her bill is more symbolic than serious and she doesn’t expect it to receive much support. And yet, she told the Courier-Journal, she isn’t done introducing provocative proposals.

The lawmaker told the paper that she intends to introduce a bill that would require gun buyers to get counseling from victims of gun violence 24 hours ahead of a firearms purchase.

“I’m just making sure the government is taking care of your safety,” she said.

The entire bill can be found here.