To think this latest call for a ban on smoking in cars is another example of bossy nanny state

[5Foot5]

First let me say that I am a non-smoker; I have always been a non-smoker; I do not like being in a smoky atmosphere and I would not tolerate smoking in my house or my car.

But that is my house, my car and my choice.

Today's papers carry a story that "leading" doctors and the Chief Medical Officer want a ban on smoking in all cars because of a study showing the connection between passive smoking in children and asthma attacks.

Now I realise that asthma is a dangerous and distressing illness and I have sympathy for the sufferers and their families. But surely any parent of an asthmatic, if they have any common sense, would already be doing their utmost to ensure that the children live and travel in a smoke-free environment. If there are parents who are stupid and selfish enough to ignore the advice and continue to smoke around their asthmatic children, surely that is the problem to be addressed?

More could be done to help those children by targetting and educating the parents who are the problem, rather than penalising the population at large who want to indulge their vice in the privacy of their own car where they are harming noone but themselves. It seems madness to me that someone who is not an asthmatic, has no family members who are and who never gives a lift to anyone who is, should be prevented from smoking in their car and to suggest that this will somehow protect other childrens health.

Frankly I think this latest twist is just another attempt by the health fascists to stamp out a behaviour that they disapprove of. A ban on smoking in cars has been suggested before and not been carried forward. This latest attempt is cynically using the children's health angle because they see that as a more emotive issue that might win support where they failed before.

If this ban went through then I would not be personally affected in any way but it still makes me irritated that there are people who think it is their right to dictate to the rest of us what we should and shouldn't be doing for our own good.

Rant over!

'I may be 'addicted' to going round bashing people over the head, but it doesn't make it right or acceptable. (I'm not, hypothetical situation).'

You can't be physiologically addicted to such a thing. Only the things with 'ine' at the end.

Agree with JackiePaper Don't sell the things and then go around making life unpleasant for people who are addicted to them. Make your bloody mind up!

Cars perform a useful function. Fumes are a horrid by-product. Fags have no such useful function therefore the analogy makes no sense.

YANBU
I will not light my cigarette in my car if they make it illegal (well I will, before I set off, as I do anyway, I'm not stupid enough to try to light one while moving) but I never smoke in the car with DS and I don't smoke in the car if I'm going to collect him. My car is mine, as is my home, so nobody has the right to tell me not to smoke in it, unless they deem it dangerous (which it isn't, if you don't light it while driving).

Bah.

You certainly shouldn't blow your nose while driving, good God.

fags do keep you thin, since i gave up i'm piling on the pounds. all that eating whilst driving doesn't help

My neighbour smokes heavily. Often in her garden. The smell comes straight in our kitchen window and it stinks.
When the DCs were babies, I remember being about to put them to bed, only to find the bedroom stinking like someone had been sitting there fagging it for hours! (This time they were outside their front door)

If people want to smoke they should do so in a their own toilet with all the windows shut.

I don't actually see how they can stop it really. I still see loads of people driving whilst talking on their mobiles (my pet hate). It has to become socially unacceptable for it to work.

These smoking threads always make me laugh...

...and as several people have already pointed out, the government has not made any proposals wrt this. It is a group of medics who recommend it. Doesn't mean the gov are even considering it, let alone backing it!

This smoking threads always make me want to light one. And I rarely smoke.

To be honest, I'd never dream to smoke in a car nowadays. Mainly because I rarely use cars.

I do think that smoking with your children in the car is wrong. At the end of the day, if you want to smoke then crack on I'm not bothered but I think it's a bit tight if kids have to breathe in secondhand smoke. They said you couldn't enforce the seatbelt thing ages ago, but they did and now if you get caught it is an instant fine and I think you can get a licence point? Controversial and I don't want to put any noses out of joint, but I do think that a child's right to be in a healthy environment 99% of the time (clearly, they're going to breathe in smoke at some point I know that) outweighs an adult's right to smoke in this situation.

So we can ban it in bars and clubs where we're all eighteen and can choose whether to be there or not, but we can't ban passive smoking in something as confined as a car? wtf? We enforce wearing seatbelts, using mobiles and car seats why not smoking....

No nanny state, just a government that has to protect children because of selfish fuckwitted parents.

And for people that compare, oh that convenient and stupid argument, smoking with car fumes a cigarette can't get you to work or to the supermarket to carry a shop load of food to feed your children. Smoking benefits one person and that's with a massive load of shit side effects.

< passes Franca a rollie >

I don't know of any smokers that would smoke in the car with their children present. Honestly, do people do this in such a small and confined area?
A ban would achieve nothing other than expending the already limited police resources, unless smoking within the home is banned too. How would the latter be policed I wonder?

Apart from the health risks from the actual smoking, I have never understood why is is considered safe/legal to light up while driving, when using a phone or eating is driving without due care.

By all means ban people from smoking inside cars with children or anyone else, fair enough, but stop selling me this lie re indispensability of cars, please.

Drivers should be banned from smoking or doing anything that distracts them from driving. Frightens the life out of me seeing drivers whizzing along while changing cds, smoking, on their mobiles etc. All it takes is one little slip. Actually I'm amazed hw FEW accidents there actually are considering what I see every day.

Shocking move. I mean, anyone would think that there are stupid selfish people out there who are too stupid and selfish to protect the health of thier children by not blowing noxious carcinogens in their faces. Say it isn't so ?

YABU. Can't wait for smoking to be banned full stop forever.

I think it is a great idea!

"But that is my house, my car and my choice"

But what about your child's choice not to inhale second hand smoke? Or isn't that as important as your right to smoke?

They have a ban here (South Australia) on smoking in cars with children inside. Doesn't affect me, don't smoke. But dh does & he is only too happy not to light up in the car while the kids are in there (always has been). But I have seen kids in cars, windows all up & parents smoking & I think it is bloody selfish!

"Drivers should be banned from smoking or doing anything that distracts them from driving. Frightens the life out of me seeing drivers whizzing along while changing cds, smoking, on their mobiles etc. All it takes is one little slip."

So, I say again, shouldn't we also ban children from cars? They can be very distracting.