New In Car Smoking Rules To Be Introduced In October 2015

Monday, 27. April 2015

I’ve spoken about this subject before and whilst I support the objectives of the Government it is simply introducing a law that is virtually impossible to police. I’m talking about smoking in cars with children under 18 also in the car. From the 1st October the ban on smoking in cars with children under 18 present comes into force.

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This follows a similar ban in Wales and is being considered in Scotland. The ban won’t apply to anyone smoking alone and it won’t apply to convertibles with the roof down. Public Health Minister, Jane Ellison, said, ‘Three million children are exposed to second hand smoke in cars putting their lives at risk.’

OK as a lifetime non-smoker I have never got my head around the need to suck smoke into my lungs, it simply makes no sense at all. Having said that I guess the main reasons why I would never partake is the sight of my dad, first thing in the morning, coughing and spitting his lung lining into the toilet every day having smoked the best part of 40+ untipped cigarettes the previous day, as he did most days.

For a child that was an incredibly frightening experience. My dad smoked in the car but always with the window open – thanks dad and we all (my sister and brother) carried around with us the delightful stench of smoke. So I’m against smoking but I also uphold the individual rights of people to smoke if they want to as long as it doesn’t affect me.

I also agree that smokers should not smoke in cars with children aboard but if you are such an uncaring parent to do it in the first place is a law going to make any difference? Parents shouldn’t smoke in confined spaces with children around through a sense of responsibility, not because the law says so. We are gravely lacking basic life skills in our education system and I’m about to go on a mission to change it.

Kids might leave school knowing the capital of various countries around the world or what the Boston Tea Party was all about but they need basic health and safety skills. Finance skills are essential such as how to open a bank account, take out a credit card and arrange a mortgage. Isn’t it time we educated our kids better in these areas rather than feel the need to introduce laws to prevent people doing things that one would think would be common sense! Good grief! G gets off his soap box! By Graham Hill