Kentucky lawmaker's bill would require men to get a note from their wives to purchase Viagra

Fed up with laws restricting a woman's right to choose, a Kentucky lawmaker has proposed new restrictions on men wanting to obtain erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, saying she was doing it "to protect these men from themselves."

According to the Courier-Journal, Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, a Louisville Democrat, is sponsoring House Bill 396 in an effort to protect men's health and ensure they are completely informed about a drug with potentially dangerous side effects.

Under Marzian's bill, only married men would be able to obtain the drug and it would require "a man to 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."

According to the lawmaker, who is also a nurse, "This is about family values."

The lawmaker submitted her bill after the state senate passed Senate Bill 4, requiring women seeking an abortion to get counseling 24 hours in advance of the procedure from a health professional. The so-called "informed consent" bill was signed into law by Republican Gov. Matt Bevin.

Marzian, who supports the right of a woman to make her own choices without government interference, said her bill is meant to protest meddling by the predominantly male General Assembly into women's health issues.

"Do we really want a bunch or legislators interfering in private, personal, medical decisions?" she asked.