California bans smoking in cars with minors

[Laurent]

Calif. bans smoking in cars with kids
By STEVE LAWRENCE, Associated Press Writer
Thu Oct 11, 6:04 AM ET

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California motorists will risk fines of up to $100 next year if they are caught smoking in cars with minors, making their state the third to protect children in vehicles from secondhand smoke.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday signed a bill that will make it an infraction to smoke in a vehicle if someone under age 18 is present. But the traffic stop would have to be made for another offense, such as speeding or an illegal turn, before the driver could be cited for smoking.

The ban, which takes effect Jan. 1, joins a string of smoking prohibitions adopted in California, including a ban on smoking in enclosed workplaces and within 25 feet of a playground.

A Harvard School of Public Health report issued last year said secondhand smoke in cars can be up to 10 times more of a health risk than secondhand smoke in a home.

"Protecting the health of our children is among government's highest responsibilities," said the bill's author, state Sen. Jenny Oropeza, a Democrat. "It is clear that increasing public awareness about the dangers of secondhand smoke is the right thing to do."

At least 20 states and a number of municipalities have considered limiting smoking in cars where minors are present. Arkansas now bans smoking in cars with children age 6 and younger, while Louisiana has limited it when children 13 and younger are in the vehicle. Maine lawmakers will take up the issue in January.

Calif. bans smoking in cars with kids - Yahoo! News

[nwgirl]

Hmmm...good for them. I think it's gross and always feel bad when I see kids cooped up in a car with a smoker who doesn't even have the windows down. My dad used to do that. It was gross!

[crumpet]

Well, I guess we can look forward to the government outlawing out of wedlock parenthood and divorce since 'studies' show that these two factors dramatically increase a child's chances of failing in all areas of life. I understand wanting to protect minors, but I would prefer to see this change come about through public service announcements and positive peer pressure. Nanny states annoy the fuck out of me.

[Just Kill Me]

Good.

[greysfang]

This is bullshit. The government is trying to go way too far.

[msdeb]

i am all for banning this. i detest people that smoke around children. In CA we have 1-800- NoButts for fools that toss cigs out the window. As someone who was evac'd during our big wildfires, i call it if i see someone. The offenders receive a letter from the CHP warning them that they'll get a fine if they offend again.

[Grimmlok]

People who smoke with kids in the car have no fucking idea how sick it makes the kids. I endured enough of that, thank you.

I hope tons of people get fined for it, it's fucking gross.

[Novice]

Brilliant idea! I hate seeing parent smoking around their kids, esp when they're asmatic; in cars you just can't escape - plus there's msdebagain's point of all the wild fires.

[Just Kill Me]

You can look at it as too much government but it is obviously needed... I'd like the government to go really really far and have forced sterilization... as long as they don't take away my guns we'll be cool.

Back when we still had smoking sections in restaurants here in Houston I remember being reprimanded by a neighboring booth for saying "fuck" because there were children present and my response was "yeah, you care so much about your children why don't you put out the cigarette and leave the smoking section " I'm surprised I haven't been physically attacked...

[Novice]

Is it something to do with the M15 you have in your handbag?

[VenusInFauxFurs]

Good. Both of my parents smoked in the car when I was a child and it was nothing short of fucking awful. Talk about too much of a confined space.

[MrsDark]

It's about goddamned time. This should be a national law.

[greysfang]

yep, and next it will be you can't drink in front of children, then you can't cuss in front of children, etc., etc. until there are no more civil liberties or privacy laws left.

[VenusInFauxFurs]

But drinking in front of your kids, is not the same as smoking in a very small confined space.

[msdeb]

yep, and next it will be you can't drink in front of children, then you can't cuss in front of children, etc., etc. until there are no more civil liberties or privacy laws left.

you cant get cancer from your parents cussing at you. well, at least not yet.