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?

Carole,

smoking always causes harm. Co sleeping does not always cause harm.

Driving cars with children in could be considered dangerous as well.

The point is, these things only cause harm when they go wrong. Most of the time they are useful activities.

Smoking is never beneficial to anyone.

here UNICEF statement responding to the study mentioned in guardian, flagging up flaws in the methodology, and it's conclusions, and the complexity of the arguments.

Anyway - can't compare the two. One is often unavoidable, is part of normal physiological parenting, has been practiced in all communities since the dawn of time and plays an important role in supporting breastfeeding, which in itself prevents 1000's of hospital admissions every year. The other is a dangerous and unhealthy addiction which does not offer a single benefit to adults or children

I too have a general disbelief that anyone is still smoking in 2013.

The difference between smoking around your children and, for example, obesity (which is a good analogy, IMO) is that much like carseats a police officer/social worker could clearly observe a child in a smoky enclosed environment if they were coming by a house for any reason.

This could help to complete the picture of a child's home environment if there were other indicators of abuse.

Another far from perfect, wine-swilling mother that feels tetchy at the prospect of anyone smoking in an enclosed space that would include a child.

I am not advocating smoking in front of children - the OP was should this be a criminal offence.

My point is that there are a number of more bad things parents do that should be made a criminal offence first - although I think none should.

Also smoking does have some benefits:

here and here

So that's what these parents need to hear is it. Are you kidding me.

Ffs benefits of smoking are you nuts

Because he lives in the next village and they live about a five minute drive away.

I probably wouldn't be so rude to her, she's nice enough, but I'd like to be. I'll just continue to look the other way while he continues to breathe in his mothers cigarette smoke.