Wow I have been wanting to read this thread since before dinner but I have sadly been busy parenting (sigh)
Things I believe: aspartame is not healthy. This is from my own experience of being very ill when I have had it time and time again and also from my nephew who died of cancer many years ago. His oncologist was very against aspartame and basically one thing after another DH and I have done some research and we truly feel it is a danger so we dont have it. But I understand many other people do not feel the same way - this is my personal choice.
I think smoking in a car with your child is a cruel thing to do. Why would you subject your LO to the terrible difficulty of breathing and health problems it can cause?
Now what I really want to say wrt Atlantis' first post which in a nutshell says things are so shit why bother about "a few" billions of cigarettes -
I hate this argument for making improvements on things. If you really feel that way surely suicide is the only answer because ultimately you will always find a greater problem. If we all threw in the towel and didnt attack the little and big problems we are able to make a difference with then the human race would never have advanced and it would indeed all be futile.
Now as for parents who expose their children to smoke that the children are unable to escape I say this: Would you be willing, if it were possible, to remove your child's lungs and replace them with those of an old smokers? I very much doubt any parent would do that. So if you baulk at that then just stop forcing them to breathe your smoke because it is effectively what you are heading towards.
I used to smoke, I quit before I had DS. I really hate it now, I have had pneumonia twice, and I have really bad asthma. I would be gutted if my DS smoked when he grew up because I am praying every day for his body to be fit and healthy and strong. That is surely what loving your child means isnt it?