Public in support of smoking ban in cars

Three-quarters of the nation are in support of a smoking ban in cars carrying children

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A woman smoking a cigarette
A woman smoking a cigarette

Three-quarters of the nation are in support of a smoking ban in cars carrying children

Smoking in cars with children could soon be banned if the public had anything to do with it.

According to a recent YouGov poll, three-quarters of the nation wants smoking in cars with children on board to be banned.

‘There’s a wealth of medical and public backing for a ban on smoking in cars with children,’ said Rachael Jolley, the Faculty of Public Health’s head of policy.

Attitudes towards smoking have changed considerably over the last few decades, shown by the large majority in support of the ban.

Although, some would say Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, went too far with his support of the ban last week.

He caused controversy when he argued that parents who smoked in front of their children were ‘committing a form of child abuse.’

Politicians, are hesitant to push the ban through, as they are worried about the public’s reaction to legislation that controls their actions in the private sphere.

However, with reports showing that second-hand smoke can be 27 times more toxic in a car than in the home, one hopes the government would listen to the majority and push the ban through.

‘The public is sending out a strong message in this survey and the government should act on this,’ said Professor Mitch Blair from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

Passive smoking has often been associated with chest infections, asthma, ear infections, and even cot death.

The Department of Health recognises this, but thinks that legislation is not needed to stop parents smoking in cars. ‘Most people know about the dangers of passive smoking, particularly with regards to children. It is important parents take responsibility for their children’s health,’ they said.

What are your thoughts on the ban? Let us know by posting your comment below.

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Natalia Lubomirski
Natalia Lubomirski
Natalia is a health journalist with 14 years experience in the publishing industry. She has worked for a number of well known magazines and websites including Marie Claire, Woman&Home, Top Sante, Boots and The Telegraph.  She likes to think she practices what she preaches when it comes to health and fitness. Her athletic prowess began early. A keen fencer for 13 years, she wielded an epée for Olympic Team GB during her teenage years. She likes to think she made sword-fighting cool before Game of Thrones came along! While working on her sporting performance with the team, she also participated in a lot of nutrition and psychology training, When it comes to time off, you’ll most likely find her up a mountain somewhere. It seems holidays have become a time for climbing several thousand feet, rather than chilling out. She’s now hiked eight of the major mountain ranges across four continents – including the Appalachians, the Smokies, the Sierra Nevadas (she spent her honeymoon hiking to the top of Half Dome), as well as hitting the summits of Snowdon, Pen-Y-Fan (Brecon Beacons), Table Mountain in South Africa, the Blue Mountains in Australia and the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. She’s also passionate about all things health, particularly vaccinations, and will happily jump on her soap box at any given opportunity to talk about their benefits to anyone who will listen!