davieG Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 A law banning smoking in vehicles carrying children has come into force in England and Wales. Drivers and passengers who break the law could face a penalty fine of £50 - but police say they will take a non-confrontational approach initially. Whenever an under-18 is in the car, smokers will still be liable even if the windows are down or sunroof open. But the law will not apply to people who are driving in a convertible which has the roof down. The Scottish Parliament is expected to consider bringing in its own law banning smoking in cars carrying children next year. More than 430,000 children are exposed to second-hand smoke in cars each week, according to the British Lung Foundation. Passive smoking Smoke can stay in the air for up to two and a half hours even with a window open Second-hand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, some of which are known to cause cancer Exposure to second-hand smoke has been strongly linked to chest infections, asthma, ear problems and cot death in children Bans on smoking in cars when children are present already exist in some US states, including California, as well as in parts of Canada and Australia Research indicates 300,000 children in the UK visit a GP each year because of the effects of second-hand smoke, with 9,500 going to hospital Smoking in a car creates a higher concentration of toxins than in a bar - some research has put it at 11 times higher Exposing children to passive smoking can increase the risk of asthma, meningitis and cot death. Health campaigners have hailed the move as a "tremendous victory" and the most significant milestone since the ban on smoking in public places was introduced in 2007. But Simon Clark, director of the smokers' lobby group Forest, said the new law was unnecessary and almost certainly unenforceable. "If drivers are spotted smoking will they be stopped in case there's a child in the back? The authorities, especially the police, must have better things to do." Steve White, chairman of the Police Federation, said it would be "extremely challenging" to enforce the ban. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The reality of the situation is we are struggling to attend burglaries. "Should we be focusing on people smoking in cars with children in the cars or should we be focusing on burglaries?" Mick Creedon, chief constable of Derbyshire Police, told 5 live Breakfast, that in his area traffic police would be concentrating on issues to do with death and injury on the roads. "Mobiles, drink driving, speeding, no seatbelts - we know these contribute to fatalities on the road," he said. "Smoking in a car doesn't bring the same danger on the roads. It's a public health issue."
Jon the Hat Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 We should just ban ***** from having children. That would solve all the problems.
ramboacdc Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 i used to smoke and when my daughter was born stopped smoking in the car when she was there. i cant see how people don't have the willpower to not smoke when their child is in the car. i must admit i do vape when she is in the car sometimes however.
CharlieCharles Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 Good news, can see a lot of people keep doing it though
AKCJ Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 saw a bloke with his windows shut with two dogs in the back with a kid in the passenger seat smoking yesterday.
yorkie1999 Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 so if you've got a convertible and the roof is down...
davieG Posted 1 October 2015 Author Posted 1 October 2015 saw a bloke with his windows shut with two dogs in the back with a kid in the passenger seat smoking yesterday. This should be in the absolute ***** topic unless you actually meant the kid smoking
Rincewind Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 How is it going to be enforced? I am not against it. Any sensible parent would not do it anyway. Maybe parenting skills should be taught and save the money and time police spend on prosecuting. The police force are stretched as it is with cuts being made.
davieG Posted 1 October 2015 Author Posted 1 October 2015 How is it going to be enforced? I am not against it. Any sensible parent would not do it anyway. Maybe parenting skills should be taught and save the money and time police spend on prosecuting. The police force are stretched as it is with cuts being made. The same way mobile phone use is enforced by sheer luck.
Crinklyfox Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 Just a thought. I loathe and detest cigarettes. I put this down to having grown up in a house where there was often cigarette smoke (my father got through 60 a day). I do, however, have some concerns regarding this ban. Most smokers are addicts and smoke because they have the craving. If they have to smoke in a car they have the option of winding the windows down to reduce the impact of their smoking on others. If they observe the ban and take a long journey there is every possibility that they will suffer increasing craving for cigarettes which could distract them from the business of driving - which then makes this also a safety issue.
Manwell Pablo Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 Just a thought. I loathe and detest cigarettes. I put this down to having grown up in a house where there was often cigarette smoke (my father got through 60 a day). I do, however, have some concerns regarding this ban. Most smokers are addicts and smoke because they have the craving. If they have to smoke in a car they have the option of winding the windows down to reduce the impact of their smoking on others. If they observe the ban and take a long journey there is every possibility that they will suffer increasing craving for cigarettes which could distract them from the business of driving - which then makes this also a safety issue. As someone who smoke reasonably regularly and has children that just sounds like utter rubbish to me. Never smoke anywhere near my kids and never will, definitely not in a confined space like a car.
Crinklyfox Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 As someone who smoke reasonably regularly and has children that just sounds like utter rubbish to me. Never smoke anywhere near my kids and never will, definitely not in a confined space like a car. I applaud your attitude to smoking near your children. Not everyone is as considerate. I know what my father was like when he didn't have access to cigarettes and wouldn't have wanted him to drive in that condition. I have also to say that the harm that cigarettes could do was not as well known when I was a child and I doubt that he was aware of the damage that he could have been doing.
yorkie1999 Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 Just a thought. I loathe and detest cigarettes. I put this down to having grown up in a house where there was often cigarette smoke (my father got through 60 a day). I do, however, have some concerns regarding this ban. Most smokers are addicts and smoke because they have the craving. If they have to smoke in a car they have the option of winding the windows down to reduce the impact of their smoking on others. If they observe the ban and take a long journey there is every possibility that they will suffer increasing craving for cigarettes which could distract them from the business of driving - which then makes this also a safety issue. They also have the option to stop the car, let the children out, have a fag, and let them back in again.
Carl the Llama Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 They also have the option to stop the car, let the children out, have a fag, and let them back in again. Or even get out the car and smoke instead of making the kids get back into a smoke filled vehicle.
Guest Col city fan Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 The police have already said they won't enforce the fine. They are taking an 'educative' approach? Whoever smokes in a car with a kid in the back needs locking up IMO.
yorkie1999 Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 Or even get out the car and smoke instead of making the kids get back into a smoke filled vehicle. What if its raining? You can't be expected to stand out in the rain whilst smoking. Fag may get wet.
Trav Le Bleu Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 What if you are driving the car, with no passengers, having a fag and are under 18?
The Blur Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 What if its raining? You can't be expected to stand out in the rain whilst smoking. Fag may get wet. Stop at motorway service cafes then or just find a shelter if you are driving through cities or are on a short journey. Surely most smokers can survive a short journey without a cig. Passengers' health should be classed as a higher priority than a fag anyway.
MPH Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 What if its raining? You can't be expected to stand out in the rain whilst smoking. Fag may get wet. But you can be expected to wind down the windows and let your kids get wet!
MPH Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 Just a thought. I loathe and detest cigarettes. I put this down to having grown up in a house where there was often cigarette smoke (my father got through 60 a day). I do, however, have some concerns regarding this ban. Most smokers are addicts and smoke because they have the craving. If they have to smoke in a car they have the option of winding the windows down to reduce the impact of their smoking on others. If they observe the ban and take a long journey there is every possibility that they will suffer increasing craving for cigarettes which could distract them from the business of driving - which then makes this also a safety issue. Yes, freezing a kid to death , or letting the rain soak them is definitely the sensible approach.....
Vlad the Fox Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 They also have the option to stop the car, let the children out, have a fag, and let them back in again. This would have made a great cigar advert of the 80's with the baldy man sat locked in his car at a moterway service station de-stressing smoking his cigar as the music plays oblivious to his rain drenched kids and angry looking wife staring in at him.
Christoph Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 Yeah I'm sorry but If your desperate for a fag on a long journey it's hardly a big deal to stop at a service station and spark up. I used to hate it when my dad smoked in the car. It absolutely stunk and my clothes would always smell after.
MPH Posted 1 October 2015 Posted 1 October 2015 And this is why I will never have kids Really? Bit of an odd reason why not to have kids....
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