smoking in cars ban?

[ivykaty44]

Will it actually work? I can't see that many people smoke around children anyway and those that do will not stop due to legislation anyway, then if people haven't been policed about mobile phones it will be even harder with smoking.

I am not a smoker and don't think people should allow smoking around children but can't see this having any effect

Also is the actual cigarette smoke more or less harmful than exhaust fumes to children? How do you strip out the background toxin level of sitting in a plastic box spewing out by products of the oil industry, surrounded by other plastic boxes doing the same, with sitting in one where someone had a fag?

Exhaust fumes may be far worse than cigarette smoke, but that's not the point. Because most of the 'think of the children' things are actually about getting emotionally attached to a cause.

Driving along with the window open in the winter is really unpleasant too. Passive smoke or freeze kids-what do you fancy?

I hope they do ban it, even if it is difficult to police it might make some people stop. It's really horrible for a child to smell of smoke which they would after being sealed in a car with a smoker or even two.

Bring it on! I was always car sick as a child when my Mum smoked it the car, disgusting.

DH's dad used to smoke cigars in the car and wouldn't let him open the windows in Winter, DH threw up all over him, HA!

sparking my car has whats called a smokers window - the window rolls back and in it doesnt roll down - this creates a vacuum in the car and sucks the air out. no need for anyone to freeze...especially with the heater in the car on.

Oh no. A 'smokers window'? that's a bit depressing. Does it come as standard peggy or do you have to have it as an extra?

I think it's perfectly reasonable, and I'm a smoker.

It amazes me how much smokers don't realise the smell. I never really noticed it. When I was a student, all of us used to smoke in our house, I'd even have a cigarette in the bedroom right before going to sleep Now as it has become less and less acceptable to smoke inside anywhere, the smell and the smoke has become more apparent.

The general standard for almost all smokers now seems to be that you smoke outside and irregularly. No one expects to smoke all day in their office, or on a train, or on a plane. Day-to-day life is non-smoking, with the odd nip outside to have a cigarette. The amount of people you see in their gardens or on their front step shows that so many people don't smoke in their homes anymore. So cars are exactly the same.

Of course, the difficulty is how to enforce it. It is proving difficult enough to enforce the mobile ban in cars. But that shouldn't stop them enforcing it.

I'm a smoker and completely support the ban. In the same way I support the ban on mobile phone usage while driving. It's just stupid and dangerous.

I wonder how many teachers can smell it on their students' clothes when they come in in the morning?

I have no issue with people smoking. As long as I can't smell it. Outside is perfect.

Boffin to follow on from funs post , there was someone on radio that said being in a car was 23% more potent in effects on children then being in other enclosed spaces. It was on radio but I will see if can find research .

Summary but references research here and more specific

I fully support the ban but I can't see it being enforceable, given how many people you still see driving while using mobiles.

My dad used to smoke cigars in the car which always made me feel sick. Of course he denied my nausea had anything to do with the smoke, even though I rarely felt sick if I was in the car with just my non-smoking mum . He also denies that his smoking had anything to do with my brother's recurring chest infections and asthma, or my recurring ear infections. All conditions that are commonly cited as being caused or worsened by passive smoking.

Similar to other posters, as a child MY parents both smoked in the car (and at meal times) and it so grossed me out, I have never had one cigarette in my relatively long life.

I have 3 children over 20-years old that lived in a non smoking household and thankfully only one ever smoked, and funny enough it was the one I thought less likely to smoke, on health, fashion and personal (walking ash tray) reasons.

I also fully support the ban. Even if it's difficult to enforce, it will help make this disgusting behaviour even more socially unacceptable. I would report the Reg number of someone smoking with kids in the car to hte police if it was illegal.

Actually - I think it should be illegal to smoke in cars full stop! I feel sick in cars that smell of smoke.

I am not making a case for smoking in cars, as I detest cigarette smoke. I am making a case against the 'fink of da liddle children' argument BackBriefly quite rightly pointed out. We are patronised enough.

Well someone needs to 'fink of da liddle children' as the drivers smoking in cars with children in clearly aren't.

Actually behind the scenes academics are currently muttering to each other that the statistics seem contrived. I understand one or two people are checking out this claim.

Boffinmum & peggyundercrackers I grew up in a two parents smoking 60 a day household and suffered chronic bronchitis throughout my childhood, and young adulthood, until I left home. When I got out, I discovered a) I could breathe, and b) I never got those chest infections again. My brother suffered chronic ear infections. We were some of the illest kids in school.

I used to suffocate in the back of the car even with the windows open, and fully support the ban going through parliament.

I just think that no child should ever smell of cigarette smoke.

sparkling it come as std on the car...

all thats going to happen is they will fine you £60... WOW... better not do it then, no points, no totting up - nothing! its not even as if they are going to put the money towards a charity or anything - it about raising revenue...

What sort of car peggy? I have never seen one.

i'm a smoker, but would never smoke in my car with or without dc in there.

I think it's a good idea, hope it at least puts people off, be great if there was a big fine.