Wales could be the first to ban smoking in cars

WALES could be the first European country to ban smoking in cars carrying children, First Minister Carwyn Jones announced yesterday. Mr Jones said legislation could be considered if children’s exposure to second-hand smoke did not reduce as a result of a campaign. A ban would be designed first and foremost to protect children from second-hand smoke as well as encouraging adults to give up smoking, he said.

 

The First Minister said that it would be the next logical step following the ban on smoking in offices, pubs and restaurants.

He said: “Wales was the first UK country to vote in favour of a ban on smoking in public places and if necessary we will not shy away from considering the introduction of progressive legislation to further protect children from second-hand smoke.”

It was not entirely clear how any such move would be policed. Mr Jones told the Western Mail that no new road traffic offence would be created, although he suggested there was “plenty of scope for joint working” with the police.

Legislation will not be considered until the end of a three- year campaign warning drivers about the dangers to children in the car of lighting up while driving.

Mr Jones said: “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.

“Our manifesto committed us to take tough action to tackle inequalities in health, particularly the harm caused by tobacco use and its effect on children.

“The law already requires any vehicle that is used by more than one person in the course of paid or voluntary work to be smoke free and an extension is the next logical step.

“We will mount a renewed campaign to tackle smoking alongside other interventions such as quit programmes, but will consider pursuing legislative options if children’s exposure to second-hand smoke does not start to fall within the next three years.

“There is a growing public consensus on the social unacceptability of being exposed to second-hand smoke and introducing legislation would be a powerful statement of intent about our commitment to the health of our children,” he added.

Chief Medical Officer for Wales Dr Tony Jewell said: “Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of smoking, and with no escape from second-hand smoke are more likely to develop long- term conditions such as asthma at an early age, which will affect them for their rest of their lives.”

The move from the Welsh Government comes less than two weeks after the British Medical Association called for drivers to be prevented from lighting up in their vehicles.

In June the BMA’s conference in Cardiff passed a motion calling for legislation to be introduced by all governments in the UK to tackle the issue of smoking while driving, to protect the health of other passengers and to increase the safety of other road users.

Delegates heard that smoking in a car was more damaging to a person’s health than breathing in exhaust fumes, because particle concentrations were 27 times higher than in a smoker’s home and 20 times higher than they used to be in a pub, when smoking was allowed.

That made it safer to have the exhaust pipe on the inside of the car than to smoke cigarettes in terms of fine particulate matter.

Research by the British Lung Foundation found that more than a third of children with a parent who smoked said the parent smoked in the car while the child is a passenger.