Smoking ban for cars? British doctors say yes

Smoking bans are now in place in all sorts of places, including restaurants, bars, and parks as well as workplaces. Now the group that represents doctors in Britain is calling on the government to snuff out smoking in cars - a step that would go beyond regulations elsewhere.

In research released on Wednesday, the British Medical Association said that the confined environment in automobiles exposes drivers and passengers to 23 times more toxins than a smoky bar. Children are especially vulnerable to second-hand smoke since their bodies absorb more pollutants.

"Smoking in enclosed spaces is especially dangerous," Dr. Jonathan Whiteson, director of the cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation and wellness center at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, told CBS News. "Outdoors, smoke gets carried away on the breeze - one puff and it goes away." But in a car, he said, the smoke is recycled.

What's more, he said, toxic residue from cigarette smoke can linger on surfaces even after the air has cleared.

In Australia, Canada, and parts of the U.S., smoking in cars is banned when kids are present. In the U.K., smoking in public vehicles like buses and trains is banned, but there is no law against smoking in private cars.

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http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_...smoking-ban-for-cars-british-doctors-say-yes/

Wouldn't this be taking a step to far? I mean this is the persons PRIVATE property, they can do whatever they want in it.

I have to agree.
I dislike tobacco smoke, but this much interference into people's lives is too much.

I'm usually against these articles about tobacco bans but I can see the reasoning behind not allowing people to smoke with a kid in the car.

If the people in the car are all adults though the government shouldn't interfere, totally outlawing smoking in cars would be stupid as hell. But if there's a kid in the car it kinda makes sense to not allow adults to lock the child in a tobacco smoke filled chamber. Still not sure how I feel about it though.

In general I agree that it's a step too far.

Yeah it seems absurd, it's one thing if there's someone else in the car, but if you're in the car by yourself or with other consenting adults, you should be able to breath in as many toxins as you damn well please.

I also agree about children in the car - it makes sense to protect them from those who would risk their health.
But it is every adult's right to risk their own health.

Smoking ban for cars? British doctors say yes

British People say FECK off

Who's going to enforce this? As it is, the police don't enforce the smoking ban, it's essentially self-regulated. In a pub, someone will come over and tell you to stop smoking. In a car... who's going to stop you?

In Canada there already is a smoking ban in cars when someone under 16 is in the car. I have no idea how they enforce it though, I guess they can only stop you if you're waiting for the light to switch?