Many states have issued indoor smoking bans. It’s illegal to light up inside bars and restaurants where these laws are in place, but could a new law fine drivers for smoking in their cars?
Austrailia proposes new law:
The Australian government is trying to do just that, ban smoking in cars where children are present. The proposed law would allow police officers to fine a driver $250 on the spot if they are caught. Several areas in Australia already have similar laws.
Laws purpose is to protect children:
Chief Minister Katy Gallagher says the law is all about protecting children.
“This is about behavior change, it’s not about wanting to see people get caught under this legislation,” she told an Australian News Organization. “We’re also going to delay the commencement of it once it passes the Assembly, for six months, to make sure that we’ve got time to educate drivers about the new offense.”
The issue of enforcement:
Opposition health spokesman Jeremy Hanson says the law does send a message, but he wonders if the law is enforceable.
“If people want to smoke that’s fine, but what we don’t want is people smoking in an environment which can harm children, and clearly smoking in a car can do just that,” he said. “We’ll look at the detail of what’s been proposed and whether it is actually enforceable. I will have a chat to police about how they will do this and if they see this as a problem for them at all.”
A tool to help:
While there is no talk of such a law in the United States, there is a big push to get smokers to kick the habit to protect their own health. Many health officials suggest a new medication called Zyban. The pill is taken while a smoker decreases the amount of cigarettes smoked and they can continue to take the medication after they quit. EDrugstore offers safe and secure medications including, Zyban online. When you’re ready to quit smoking, there are resources to help.
