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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that parents that smoke near their DC should be prosecuted....

184 replies

CityTiliDie · 07/08/2013 07:22

If you forced a child to eat/drink a carcenogenic substance you would be arrested. But just because the poison comes from a licenced, taxed product then this seems to be perfectly acceptable.

Lung disease is too common in children of smokers and yet the authorities do fuck all about the cause.

Also parents of obese children should be prosecuted for abuse. It is the parents fault that their offspring are fat. Recently a 10 yr old girl weighed in at 24stone!!!!!! Now the NHS/SS will have to pick up the tab for getting this poor child back to a healthy weight.

I have 3DC all have a healthy relationship with food, exercise and their bodies. Its not fucking rocket science.

OP posts:
YouStayClassySanDiego · 07/08/2013 08:02

You'd have them prosecuted and then what? Hmm

A fine.
Suspended sentence.
Jail for when they do it again.

Where would it end and will we have to build more prisons for the offenders seeing as there's no way on earth anyone will give a rat's arse and will carry on smoking..

theodorakisses · 07/08/2013 08:02

TheFallenNinja, I actually love you. An actual rocket scientist! What a comeback. He is probably much cleverer than someone who claims to hate air pollution but is called citytillidie.

PrettyKitty1986 · 07/08/2013 08:03

It is disgusting. But how would you monitor it? Someone who smoked only indoors with them? Outside but blowing the smoke at them? Within 3/5/10 feet? Where would the line be?

formicadinosaur · 07/08/2013 08:04

Surely no parent with half a brain would smoke next to their kids

HeySoulSister · 07/08/2013 08:04

Haha where is op???

HeySoulSister · 07/08/2013 08:05

Define 'next to'..... Doesn't matter how far away a parent goes to smoke. When they come back the smoke and all it's crap will still be on their clothes,skin,hair etc etc..... There is no escape

Feelingworried67 · 07/08/2013 08:06

OP, this is another pointless thread such as yesterday's " don't employ smokers" you need to get a grip if this is the kind of subject you want to waste your time creating have a Biscuit

Infact, have a box full..... BiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuitBiscuit

Tee2072 · 07/08/2013 08:06

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

PrettyKitty1986 · 07/08/2013 08:08

Define 'next to'..... Doesn't matter how far away a parent goes to smoke. When they come back the smoke and all it's crap will still be on their clothes,skin,hair etc etc..... There is no escape

There is a huge difference between smoking in an enclosed room with dc and going outside. 'Doesn't make any difference' - rubbish. It makes a massive difference.

YouStayClassySanDiego · 07/08/2013 08:09

Don't even begin to compare smoking and bad eating habits from parents to actual abuse of children from sadistic,nasty bastards who inflict pain and misery.

You know the difference so don't be an idiot.

AKAK81 · 07/08/2013 08:17

But the government need people to keep people smoking - think of the tax hole if they banned it.

AMumInScotland · 07/08/2013 08:20

"the poison comes from a licenced, taxed product"

Well yes, it does. Which, oddly enough, makes a diference in the eyes of the law when it comes to "prosecuting" someone for doing something the law allows them to do.

How exactly would you word a law to cover this?

What counts as "near"?
Do only your own children count, or any child?
What about smoking near a fourteen-year old who is also a smoker?
What if you smoke near someone who turns out to be younger than you thought?
Does it count if it is in the garden? What about a conservatory or shed?
What about if you are right beside the window?

If you start to actually think about the details, you will see that the only way to really have alaw like this would be to make smoking illegal and try to stop people from doing it anywhere at any time. Personally, I;d like that law, but as a lifelong non-smoker maybe my opinion is not the only one to be considered.

And as to obesity... presumably you feel able to accurately diagnose the cause of obestity in every child you see? Perhaps you should tell the medical profession how you do this, as they currently do not always understand the reasons for someone's weight issues. But no, of course the answer is to criminalise the parents. That will make their children's lives better automaticaly, won't it?

EastwickWitch · 07/08/2013 08:21

While were at it how about prosecuting parents who take children in cars? Statistically they're more likely to die from RTC.

HeySoulSister · 07/08/2013 08:24

prettykitty where did I say 'it makes no difference' ?? Confused

Op said near children.... Nothing about an enclosed room

HeySoulSister · 07/08/2013 08:27

I actually agree a bit about children's weight. It was very very noticeable in our local park yesterday

We are a 'snacking' culture. Can kids do an activity without food being involved? Cinema,bowling,shopping trips, car journeys...all full of crappy snack foods. Why when they also have 3 (often processed) meals a day. Who buys all this for them?

PrettyKitty1986 · 07/08/2013 08:27

My bad - 'Doesn't matter how far away'.

So there is no difference between someone sitting in the garden with a dc on their lap or standing at the other end then?

Flobbadobs · 07/08/2013 08:29

Is Benefit Bashing season over already?? That was quick...

Totally ridiculous and impractical idea OP not to mention the fact that you insult the true victims of abuse.
And you're a City Fan so YABU for that as well...

RonaldMcDonald · 07/08/2013 08:29

yes. this is the greatest problem that we face as a society.

HeySoulSister · 07/08/2013 08:30

It's second hand smoke v third hand..... But I read on a link that second hand smoke is more damaging to kids. Recent research.

Pick up a new baby after smoking then smell it's clothes....

HollyBerryBush · 07/08/2013 08:31

Well, all I can do is patent my little plastic bubble helmet, the one with in built sunscreen too, it has filters for pure oxygen.

Whothefuckfarted · 07/08/2013 08:31

I need to know the distance in cm or meters that is acceptable please. Grin

Whothefuckfarted · 07/08/2013 08:32

Flob Second the City Fan comment. I hope the OP's kids aren't City fans too...

HeySoulSister · 07/08/2013 08:33

I think the government are doing there best to 'prosecute' indirectly by flooding the media with research, making tobacco as expensive as they can get away with and bringing new smoking laws in banning it pretty much everywhere. Prosecuting everyone smoking 'near' children wouldn't work.....

StillSlightlyCrumpled · 07/08/2013 08:33

OP, prosecution for these things is quite mad.

However the obesity problem is growing, it is going to put the health system under untold strain in the coming years, and it is very concerning. There is a good point for discussion but prosecution?!

VoiceOfRaisin · 07/08/2013 08:40

OP has a point. Ok, prosecution is a daft idea as it would be unenforceable but her underlying reasoning that smoking near children, or allowing them to become really obese at a young age, are both poor parenting is fundamentally sound. Happily, it is gradually becoming less and less acceptable to smoke in a house with children and the balance of public opinion is tipping away from the right to smoke and towards the right not to have smoke inflicted on you in an enclosed environment.

Smoking bans in aeroplanes, in trains and in the workplace have all now been accepted, despite vigorous opposition and I would favour adding outlawing smoking in cars where there are DC strapped in.