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

[SauvignonBlanche]

I think it's a great idea, sadly in some families it does take some one else to 'fink of da liddle children'.

[HaroldLloyd]

I used to smoke and drive (in younger days pre DC) and stopped when I was a little older as it makes your car STINK.

Smoking with kids in the car is horrible, windows open or not.

[peggyundercrackers]

mumfortoddler - yep i lived in a house like that too, all my aunts and uncles smoked when i was little - seems everyone smoked back in the 70s, i remember all the family gatherings/parties where you couldnt see the other side of the room the smoke was so thick - we didnt suffer AT ALL... neither me nor my brother nor any of my cousins have had any illness which relates to passive smoking.

strangely enough neither my parents nor any of my aunts/uncles/GPs have suffered any illnesses related to smoking either... i dont believe most of the claims made by docs about smoking BTW as everyone i know who smokes never gets ill however the ones who dont seem to suffer, that suffering includes serious illnesses like cancer however not 1 of the smokers have suffered so much as the flu!

[Thurlow]

I think one difficulty is that any parent who would, nowadays, smoke in a car with their DC is also likely to be smoking in the house too.

[Sparklingbrook]

peggy I really don't know what to say.

[KarenTompkins]

My husband is a smoker and smokes in his car. Shortly after the ban on smoking in vehicles with children was implemented in Ontario my husband was fined with smoking in a car with a child. He was driving home in the country andthe raod was blocked due to a house fire. When he pulled up to the officer the officer could smell the cigarette smoke and because my son was in the vehicle was fined. So never say never.

[Thurlow]

Oh, peggy... Christ, I'm an adult who chooses to smoke, and even I think you're taking utter balls

[Sparklingbrook]

I want to know about the car with the smoking window.

[SauvignonBlanche]

That's absolutely amazing Peggy.

[funambulist]

Sadly, Peggy I can't say the same for the smokers in my family, both of whom died early from smoking related illnesses.

[Sparklingbrook]

Yes my DC don't have paternal Grandparents because of smoking.

[persimmon]

Peggy, are you bonkers?

[BoffinMum]

It's like denying the holocaust or something.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

You know I've seen kids run across busy roads and not get hit by cars. That must mean it is safe.

[eveylikesv]

And how is this law going to be enforced? Will there be a policeman around every school, playground, nursery to catch parents smoking fags in their cars? And what about parents smoking at homes with small children in, shouldn't they be banned too? Another pointless legislative, is it not better to educate specific groups of people? Talking on mobile phones while driving is supposedly banned yet every single day I see drivers speaking on mobile phone while driving.

[EmmaBemma]

It's a no brainer really, isn't it.

[funambulist]

eveylikesv on the other hand the law preventing smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces is very well observed despite the absence of police in these places and the seatbelt and carseat laws have also been very effective in changing people's behaviour. My parents thought nothing of having several small children completely unsecured in the back of the car, yet nowadays most parents wouldn't dream of not putting a baby in a carseat, even if the police are unlikely to catch them at it.

I think that banning smoking in cars sends a message about society's expectations of good parenting, that most parents will take on board.

[JennyOnAPlate]

I think smoking in a car should be banned whether you have children in there or not. If you're lighting a fag and puffing away on it you are not concentrating on driving. I can't see how it's any different to holding a phone to your ear.

[Quixo]

Child protection is a very serious issue and I think the people responsible for putting forward the ban on smoking in cars have this is mind. Whether or not it is the right thing to do....I am not sure, we do not live under a dictatorship and whilst there is no doubt passive smoking in confined spaces is unhealthy, is it any worse that a parent who blends a mcdonalds to wean their baby? It is bad parenting but it is not abuse worthy of intervention. For safety issues however, it is as logical to ban smoking as it is a distraction to driving. However I am sure that should this ban go through it will add another level of unacceptability to smoking in general. This will filter down to the next generation and hopefully smoking will eventually just be a chapter in history.

[BoffinMum]

I wish they made as much fuss about fitting child car seats correctly.

[Sparklingbrook]

If car seats aren't fitted correctly that's the parent's fault too. use the instruction book.

[peggyundercrackers]

no im not deluded or bonkers... i hate smoking - neither me nor my brother smoke. we are both amazed our parents have never had any time off work due to illness given the amount they both smoke, they have both smoked for near on 50 yrs now...

i agree with eveylikesv - most kids are only in the car with their parents for short amounts of time so will affect only a small number of people however i wonder how much time they spend cooped up in the house with their parents when they are puffing away like chimneys. how many kids are in homes where there are real fires burning? a fire is the same as smoking...

its a pointless law which is just going to make more people criminals for no reason - thats only if labour gets into power - if sillyband and ol' crystal balls are still running the show that wont happen :)

[Sparklingbrook]

A fire is the same as smoking?

[KatnipEvergreen]

I'm against it. For one thing it's a piece of pointless legislation. I was in favour of the ban on smoking in pubs, workplaces and public places. I think this is a step too far into the personal domain.