Ban smoking in cars to save children, say doctors.

Ban: Stop smoking in
cars to save children's health say doctors


Smoking should be banned in all cars to save children from the health
dangers caused by passive inhalation, says a report from the Royal
College of Physicians.
Doctors are calling for urgent action after figures revealed
passive smoking triggers 22,000 cases of asthma and wheezing in children
every year.
Around 9,500 hospital admissions among children are linked to the
effects of secondhand smoke inside and outside the family home, says
the report, which analysed existing research.
Forty babies die from sudden infant death syndrome every year
caused by passive smoking - one in five of all such deaths.
At
least two million children are exposed to secondhand smoke in the home
along with 'avoidable' health risks, says the report.
Professor John Britton, chairman of the Royal College's tobacco
advisory group, said legislation to ban smoking in the home would be
unenforceable.
But society's views about the ' acceptability' of smoking must be
changed and the easiest way to do this is a blanket ban in cars and
vans, he said.
This would be simpler to police than the
current situation which expects enforcement officers to differentiate
between business vehicles, where smoking is banned, and those owned
privately.


In addition the ban on smoking in enclosed spaces should be extended
to parks, playgrounds and other areas where children congregate, he went
on.
Richard Ashcroft, a professor of bioethics at Queen Mary,
University of London - who contributed to the report - said even parked
drivers who never have child passengers should get out of their cars
before lighting up.
This would not be a 'significant reduction' in their liberties,
he argued.
However, Simon Clark, director of the smokers' lobby group
Forest, said: 'We wouldn't encourage people to smoke around children but
adults should be allowed to use their common sense.
'These proposals go way beyond what is acceptable in a free
society.'


What do you guy's think of this ?

All governments would ban the sale of tobacco and booze if they could afford the loss of revenue but they can't so resort to niggling restrictions in an effort to make themselves look caring.