To want smoking in an enclosed space with children to become a civil offence

[minifingers]

Seen three parents smoking in a car with small children, windows closed, I the past 24 hours. Am I alone in thinking this is absolutely unacceptable? As is smoking in a room where children are?

Who would be suing? The children presumably?

Did you mean criminal offence? Ask MNHQ to change the title, if so.

I traveled from Coventry to North Wales in a small car when I was a child with three heavy smokers it was beyond awful it must have soaked into my skin!

I'm a smoker and I agree. I only smoke outside.

I'm a smoker and I think smoking with children in cars should be banned, just as mobile phone use is. But I don't think you can police people in that way on their own homes.

I agree. However, are you sure they weren't vaping? i.e. electronic cigarette? Its just water vapour given off, not harmful tobacco smoke.

i think smokers should be shot, hung drawn and....oh wit a minute - off to give a shit

That's a good point, sophie - it could be harder to tell the difference between an e-cig and a real one in a car. But if all e-cigs were made with the illuminating blue ends, as some of them are, that might help differentiate.

I hate smoking in enclosed spaces, but if illegalising smoking within one's own property, even in the proximity of children, was proposed, I think there would be an outcry.

As it is, UKIP are gaining votes based on their promise to overturn the smoking ban in workplaces.

You can't police what people do in their own homes, but smoking in cars should be illegal.

Having had to sit in small cars on long journeys with heavey smokers I agree its hideous, my eyes burning.

Its shocking how much chemicals infect the air in cubic sqaure meters when somoene is smoking, i think smoking round children at 1o foot radius should be banned.

smoke outside your smoke is going into someone elses house.

It is illegal in Portugal apparently, a colleague of mine was telling me that it's illegal to smoke in cars AND in your own home if you have children (although I don't see how it can be policed).

I think it's disgusting myself. But when people leave kids in pubs til late or outside a bookies in the cold , it would be a sorry what would happen to children or what other situation they would be left in , in order to fulfil the addiction. Would kids be left alone in houses? Would they be left in cars parked up in dangerous positions while parents smoke outside or chick kids out house/car while they smoke inside.

It would be impossible to police. But it shouldn't be done for sure. You would be in trouble of you have your child a cup of poison yet they are seemingly allowed inhale it

Ah, the weekly smoking thread. Shrugs.

Sure, I think this seems sensible. It's equally impossible to police young children being left home alone but their are laws regulating this as well.

A civil offence? Do you mean criminal?

If civil, you'd have to have someone suing the offending party for damages, which makes no sense at all.

Well it's horrible I have to say but to be an offence?? That would just be the world gone even more mad. People just need to use their common sense a bit more otherwise we will end up sueing those who don't have any.

It is an offence where I live and people don't so it. I've never heard anyone complain about it but even jaywalking is illegal here. People love being told what to do.

Do you really think you are alone in thinking it is completely unacceptable??

Why start yet another thread about smokers in a situation where everyone (including smokers) agrees it's wrong?

Is it because it's been about a week now since someone has posted "I hate smokers and their filthy stinking rancid breath and brown teeth and they shouldn't be allowed to reproduce"??

Of course it is unacceptable to smoke in confined spaces with children - you know this. How do you think it should be policed?

"But I don't think you can police people in that way on their own homes"

We already assume the right to police people in their homes in relation to child abuse and neglect, so why not endangering children's health with smoking?

"Did you mean criminal offence?"

Whoops - yes I think I do

"Well it's horrible I have to say but to be an offence?? That would just be the world gone even more mad."

What - something which causes the deaths of more babies (according to this report: here) than deliberate homicides of under 1's every year in the UK (twice as many) - that trying to pass laws to reduce this is 'the world gone mad?'

"Do you really think you are alone in thinking it is completely unacceptable??"

No. I'm just wondering why more of people aren't asking for legislation on this issue.

Can I just add - the phrase 'am I alone in thinking', well no need to be quite so literal minded about it, ok?

"Of course it is unacceptable to smoke in confined spaces with children - you know this. How do you think it should be policed?"

Perhaps the same way neglect is policed. If children come to school filthy dirty and hungry, one would hope social services would be notified. Ditto for children who pitch up stinking of fags.

But just because it can cause harm doesn't mean you can ban it. Kids drown in the bath - should we make bathing them illegal.......kids die in bed with parents, should we ban this too. I could go on for ages but you get my drift.

Parents make decisions which could impact their childrens lives - maybe we need to make them more aware of their choices than just marching them off to court. Like I said before, common sense should prevail.

You can't legislate against shit parenting

I look after children in care. Smoking in cars does not make the list of reasons for children to be in care. All the children I've looked after have had parents who smoked in enclosed spaces with them.

There's a little boy in dd2's class who smells of cigarette smoke every morning. I don't know if it's from home or the car but it's quite noticable. Next time I think I might be passive aggressive and ask if anyone can smell smoke. His mum might think on a bit.

I see your point betty I really do. I guess the point is that everything in life carries risk. We do our very best to make things as safe as possible. We supervise baths , we make our beds as saw as we can and follow guide lines about drinking and smoking when co sleeping and we strap them into cars. All those things are essential on life, to get exercise at the park, to drive to school, to be clean and healthy and the mental well being that is felt to go with co sleeping etc. They are done to improve life and improve the well being of the family.

But smoking is different. It harms there is no good about it at all aside from the feeling which is only experienced by the adults participating. It neither benefits the child or tier life style and the harm it does is far greater in possibility and far more serious as there is little you can do to make a confined space safe when it is being used for smoking.

I would like smoking outside school gates, at bus stops and outside shop doorways ban. I hate that adults feel that its ok to smoke around other peoples children. Its NOT OK.

I think smoking should be in own homes and in huts or area build for this with air filters.

But then I also think junk food should have higher tax on itsuch as choclate fizzy pop and crisps.