Canarian Weekly
13-02-2015, 11:50
IN a move which is bound to upset British drivers in Tenerife, smoking in cars carrying children will be banned in England from 1st October.
The new law is being introduced because 342 MPs voted in favour of it, with just 74 against.
Those caught lighting up could face a £50 fine, although the ban will not affect people driving other adults around.
Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Government’s Chief Medical Officer, said: “The passing of regulations to make smoking in cars carrying under-18s illegal is a significant victory for protecting children’s health from second-hand smoke.
“Just a single cigarette in a car exposes children to high levels of air pollutants and cancer-causing chemicals like arsenic, formaldehyde and tar.”
The concern for smoker-drivers over here is that what becomes law in England will almost certainly be adopted by European countries in time.
This was demonstrated when smoking was outlawed in British bars, restaurants and other public places in July 2007 and Spain – including Tenerife – followed suit some time later,
Incredibly – to non-smokers at least – more than 400,000 children are exposed to second-hand smoke in their family car every week in England, according to the British Lung Foundation.
Chief executive Dr Penny Woods said: “We urge the Government to show the same commitment to introduce standardised packaging for all tobacco products, to protect the 200,000 children taking up smoking every year in England.”
But Simon Clark, head of the group Forest, which campaigns for the right to smoke, called the law “excessive” and said the Government should not be interfering in people’s “private space”.
He added: “The overwhelming majority of smokers know it’s inconsiderate to smoke in a car with children present and they don’t do it.
“They don’t need the state micro-managing their lives. This is gesture politics and a worrying development.”
“For the first time the Government is dictating whether people can smoke in their own private space.”
The ban comes as a consultation has been taking place on proposals to ban under-18s from buying electronic cigarettes
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/smoker-drivers-wont-be-carry-kids/)
The new law is being introduced because 342 MPs voted in favour of it, with just 74 against.
Those caught lighting up could face a £50 fine, although the ban will not affect people driving other adults around.
Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Government’s Chief Medical Officer, said: “The passing of regulations to make smoking in cars carrying under-18s illegal is a significant victory for protecting children’s health from second-hand smoke.
“Just a single cigarette in a car exposes children to high levels of air pollutants and cancer-causing chemicals like arsenic, formaldehyde and tar.”
The concern for smoker-drivers over here is that what becomes law in England will almost certainly be adopted by European countries in time.
This was demonstrated when smoking was outlawed in British bars, restaurants and other public places in July 2007 and Spain – including Tenerife – followed suit some time later,
Incredibly – to non-smokers at least – more than 400,000 children are exposed to second-hand smoke in their family car every week in England, according to the British Lung Foundation.
Chief executive Dr Penny Woods said: “We urge the Government to show the same commitment to introduce standardised packaging for all tobacco products, to protect the 200,000 children taking up smoking every year in England.”
But Simon Clark, head of the group Forest, which campaigns for the right to smoke, called the law “excessive” and said the Government should not be interfering in people’s “private space”.
He added: “The overwhelming majority of smokers know it’s inconsiderate to smoke in a car with children present and they don’t do it.
“They don’t need the state micro-managing their lives. This is gesture politics and a worrying development.”
“For the first time the Government is dictating whether people can smoke in their own private space.”
The ban comes as a consultation has been taking place on proposals to ban under-18s from buying electronic cigarettes
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/smoker-drivers-wont-be-carry-kids/)