“By not smoking, you will protect the health of those close to you”.
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From 1st October 2015, drivers in England and Wales will be banned from smoking in their cars whilst carrying passengers under the age of 18 in a move to protect children and young people from the dangers of second-hand smoke.
The chairman of the Police Federation, Steve White, also warned that it would be very hard to enforce the ban.
A few health officials have acknowledged the introduction of the legal ban is mainly meant to modify people’s attitudes about smoking and health.
“Today is truly a cause for celebration for all those who care about protecting the health of generations to come”, she said. But despite the level of public support a few adults still smoke in front of children.
“The public need to decide what it is that they want their police service to do because we are at breaking point”.
Hertfordshire’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Teresa Heritage, said: “More than 80% of secondhand smoke is invisible and odourless”.
The law will not apply to people smoking in convertibles with the roof down.
The ban was imposed after it was noted that second-hand smoke in vehicles have reached about 100 time above safety guidelines.
On 20-minute journeys replicating the school run, researchers found that levels of toxic particles known as PM2.5 were more than 200 times over the safe limits with windows closed and fans on.
Over 80 per cent of cigarette smoke is invisible, and parents can be unaware of the exposure to which children are often subjected, particularly in enclosed spaces such as vehicles. Children breathe more frequently than adults and their respiratory and immune systems are still developing.
Secondhand smoke contains 4,000 chemicals, more than 50 of which cause cancer and puts children at risk of serious conditions including asthma, bronchitis and infections of the chest and ear.
“We also expect it will be largely self-enforcing, as with the smoke free law in 2007. We simply can’t be all things to all people”.
Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer for England, hailed the “landmark” legislation.
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“Opening a window does not mitigate the harmful effects”.
