Today, I heard a report on KUIK that the city of Bangor, ME, has enacted a law that makes it illegal to smoke in a vehicle if children are present (see http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/21900.html ). Arkansas, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, and (I think) California have similar laws.

The "do-gooder" nature of these laws makes me a bit uneasy. On one hand, I can see the merit of wanting to protect children from having to inhale second hand smoke against their will. However, they do this by forcing the parent to do something (that is just common sense in the first place), against his or her will. Moreover, these laws typically make no exceptions for having the windows rolled down or riding in a convertible, where the child's exposure to second-hand smoke would be limited. Realistically, these children probably inhale a lot more second hand smoke at home than while riding in the car, but legislators haven't been able to crack down on at-home smoking (yet).

For the record, I don't think that it is appropriate to smoke or swear in the presence of children. I just don't like the idea of there being laws to tell me this.

I don't care what people do to themselves. But you shouldn't force your kids to be exposed to something that is a huge cancer risk; in fact, I'm guessing that breathing SHS is worse for a developing child's lungs than it is for an adult's.

So I very much agree with these laws. I just don't agree with the argument that because it infringes on someone else's rights (an adult's) that we should negate the rights of the child being exposed to SHS. It's like me saying I should have the right to drive home drunk; should my right to do so be valued higher than the rights of the people I might kill on the way home? Don't think so.

Andrew

these days when I finish off a candy bar, I toss the wrapper in the direction of smokers. what goes around comes around eh?

yep, ban smoking in cars with kids. Parents that currently smoke in car with kids should be vomited on. fair play eh?

I agree 100% that it is bad parenting to force children to breathe second hand smoke. I'm just not as eager to see the resources of the police going to finding and ticketing these people. Although it is purely opinion, I think that today it is socially considered very taboo to smoke around children anyway--as it should be.

My wife's best friend smokes like a damn chimney, in the car and in her house, with her ten-year-old son.

She wonders why her son has bad asthma and other respiratory problems, as well as other health issues. Her doctor TOLD her to stop smoking around him like that and she won't, she says she doesn't see the problem.

Maybe we should ban ignorance and stupidity. We don't let our kids ride in her car at all for this one reason, and we don't let our kids over to play with her kid at her house.

I have a foul mouth, and TRY to not swear around the young ones (some days, it's easier than others, and I am guilty as charged.) That said, me saying s*** around my kids isn't going to cause life-long harm to their physical health. Smoking around them WILL.

My question is, what is taking lawmakers so damned long?

When I was in Europe last year it seems everyone smokes. As intelligent as Europeans are you would think they wouldn't smoke as much as they do. They allow smoking in restaurants, along with dogs. It was so hard to find a semi-smoke free eatery. You would see parents sitting next to their kids smoking. It was truly eye-opening.

OK, here comes my cynicism again.

Like the seat belt, helmet and cell phone laws, these laws are simply revenue generators. They don’t really care about safety like they claim or they would pass laws that actually promote safety. For example, if it’s raining, you must have your headlights on. They have had that law in Florida for years.

That being said, I'm in support of anything that will cause pain to the tobacco industry. Both my parents died from cancer that can be attributed to smoking so obviously I have a negative bias.

As Alfredo mentioned, it's bad parenting to smoke with kids in the car. When I see that or a pregnant woman smoking, I'd love to just whack them upside the head and ask them what they are doing!

I'm in favor of banning smoking in public places, but I think banning it in a private place like your car is going too far.

It opens up all sorts of avenues that I'd rather not see the politicians and lawmakers go down.

Chris, You can smoke dogs in restaurants in Europe? Aren't they hard to keep lit?

Sky-Yes the dogs smoke, and play cards and billiards too.

I've seen pictures of that! Black velvet ones, usually hanging next to the Elvis ones! They sell them on some of the empty lots along 4th Plain here in Vancouver!!

Actually, Chris, France is just about to start their ban on smoking in public places. Lots of French people are upset about the ban, but it should be a nicer place to visit soon!

Andrew

Andrew-
That's good news. I have never been to France but hopefully someday.

Im a little confused, How is it a right to smoke if you are physically harming other people with YOUR second hand smoke?? I don't give a shit if you are too stupid to care about your own health, but don't harm other people with your cancer sticks, especially young children!!!! It should be illegal for parents to smoke in their house if they have children. Smokers are such selfish bastards, especially the ones that have kids! I believe it is CHILD ABUSE to smoke in front of your kids, and parents should get heavy fines if caught smoking directly in front of their kids. Its obvious that second hand smoke is just as deadly as smoking, so you might as well hand your 3 year old a cancer stick and light away, SAME THING! I see plenty of these "LOW lifes" who are walking down the street smoking a cancer stick in front of their kids, to me THATS CHILD ABUSE . I'm against invasion of privacy, but c'mon when you're endangering a childs HEALTH by lighting your cancer stick, YOU should be punished, based soley on Stupidity! Its funny that something that once was looked apon society as "glamorous" is now looked apon as "white trash"!

It amazes me how most women are so into vanity and care so much about their appearence, yet they will be smoking on their lunch breaks!" NEWSFLASH WRINKLE-BAGS SMOKING MAKES YOU AGE A LOT QUICKER THAN NORMAL"!! my neighbor who just turned 40 the other day looks so OLD, his face is wrinkely and he is starting to look like Mick Jagger, I could never figure out why someone who just turned 40 looks so old. Finally figured it out, he has been smoking since he was 18.