Car smoking ban gets fired up
A campaign to get parents and carers to stop smoking in cars when with young people has been launched by the Welsh government.
The debate around smoking in cars has intensified with the Welsh government launching a new campaign highlighting the damage it can do to children. But what effect could new legislation have on insured car owners who regularly smoke when their children are in the car?
Dubbed Fresh Start Wales, the government sponsored initiative is heavily focused on encouraging parents to stub out their cigarettes before getting into a vehicle with their children or young passengers.
It comes on the back of high-profile discussions that have been taking place over the last few months among politicians and lobby groups about the idea of enforcing a ban in Wales with an act of law.
The campaign, which has been launched by Wales' chief medical officer, Dr Tony Jewell, is to drill home the message using advertisement techniques that hide no illusions about passive smoking within a car.
"Children are particularly at risk from second-hand smoke, especially in vehicles where a confined space means there is no respite from the harm of the toxic chemicals in cigarettes," explained Dr Jewell.
"Exposure to these chemicals puts children at risk from a range of conditions, including sudden infant death syndrome and asthma."
He added that there was "robust evidence" that suggests the level of toxic chemicals in cars is extremely high, even if windows are open.
The British Medical Association (BMA) is just one of many organisations that support a universal ban on smoking in cars.
Last year, Dr Vivienne Nathanson, the BMA's director of professional activities, called on UK governments to adopt such a policy.
"The UK made a huge step forward in the fight against tobacco by banning smoking in all enclosed public places but more can still be done," she said.
However, Forest, a lobby group that opposes smoking bans and 'discrimination' against smokers, said such a ban would be expensive and unnecessary. It did support the move to stop parents or carers from smoking in cars though.
"I support the campaign," Simon Clark, Forest's director, told the BBC.
"I think it's important to encourage parents not to smoke in a car where small children are present out of consideration for the child if nothing else."
The debate has also made its way to the mainstream media in the US, after the Centers for Disease and Control, a federal agency that protects public health and safety, released a report that found one in five youngsters were being exposed to second-smoke while in a car.
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