The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health head has recommended that adults should be banned from smoking in cars when children are also passengers. In an article on the BBC News website, newly appointed Professor Terence Stephenson recommended that children should be given the same protection as work colleagues (smoking in cars owned by businesses is forbidden.)
Professor Stephenson said that if parents would not invite their children to light up in the car, then they equally should not make them breathe in the second hand smoke from their own cigarettes in the car.
The child health expert pointed to the successful introduction of similar schemes in the California, Cyprus, South Australia and New Brunswick, where the legislation has passed successfully. He also drew attention to research indicating that second-hand smoke can lead to chest infections, ear problems and asthma in children.
ASH, the anti-smoking group, support the suggestion. Their spokesperson likened cars to “small tin boxes” and said that one cigarette in a car, even with the window open, created as much second hand smoke as would be inhaled after a night in a smoky pub or bar. However critics have argued that it would be difficult to implement, questioning whether it would still be illegal if the sunroof was down or the car was open-top. The Department of Health responded by saying that they were planning to review the law next year.