Should smoking in cars when children are passengers be outlawed?

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- Tacoma, WA

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Should smoking in cars when children are passengers be outlawed?

Yes

49% (112 votes)

48% (108 votes)

Undecided

3% (7 votes)

Total votes: 227

Balderdash and the lie goes on

Submitted by speakout on January 9, 2009 - 1:05pm.

The Anti-smoking Nazi's are at it again, spreading lie upon lie.
IF you think they are telling the truth, heck if only 10% of what they claim was true the population of this country would have been down to 5 million, or less, years ago.
The truth is that ETS [environmental tobacco smoke] is in fact not harmful to children or anyone else, in fact there was a legitimate study done a few years ago in Denmark, unlike the ones in this country that you do hear about, that found ETS was actually beneficial to children, it helped to boost their immune system. The results were so unexpected they ran the data at least three times before releasing it, but like the rest of the real truth you won't hear it in this country, the Anti-Smoking Nazis prefer to push the lies and people are stupid enough to believe anything they tell them, BECAUSE no one bothers to check the facts, they rely on that fact so they lie more and more and don't care if someone points it out or not, their attitude is so what if I lied they'll believe anything I tell them.The real TRUTH is out there IF you bother to look for it.

Anti smoking should be implemented..

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Kid's perspective

Submitted by dlwashbu on January 8, 2009 - 10:17pm.

Nothing is worse than being a kid trapped in a car and a house with a smoking parent. You have absolutely no power and are forced to breathe in the toxins not to mention going around with smelly clothes and hair all the time. My mother died ten years ago from emphysema, need I say more.

Reality

Submitted by davidjohnjr on January 9, 2009 - 10:16am.

The bottom line isn't that it's bad for kids. We all know it's bad for kids, and parents should be ashamed of themselves for doing that kind of harm to their children.
The issue is whether this should be a matter controlled by the state, and whether it's feasible to enforce said legislation.
Do we make it just as illegal to smoke in a car with a 17 year old? And since a majority of the damage is done at the homes where the parents smoke, shouldn't we then make that illegal too?

Then plan to outlaw

Submitted by theAxiom on January 9, 2009 - 10:20am.

liquor too. Remember how that went.

Laws

Submitted by davidjohnjr on January 9, 2009 - 10:30am.

The decision to create a law can't be made solely by whether the populace thinks it's going to be obeyed..whether it will have a positive outcome is another thing.
I don't think anything positive would come of making smoking in cars with children illegal. Any parent stupid enough to do this isn't going to wake up and realize they shouldn't do this to their kids.

Laws

Submitted by hotthumbs on January 9, 2009 - 2:07pm.

Just because they don't realize they shouldn't weigh into the decision of whether it should be outlawed or not. Furthermore the laws should be in place, inacted and enforced to help those that can't defend themselves. A kid trapped in a home with a smoking parent sucks but at least they can get away from it somewhat by going to a different room in the house but in a car it is a completely confined area that a kid can't avoid. I won't go as far to say that it is child abuse but it is at least negligence.

IMHO,this particular law

Submitted by nwcutie on January 8, 2009 - 6:41pm.

IMHO,this particular law isn't necessary. I rarely see people smoking in their cars with kids onboard. Resources are scarce these days, so let's focus on real problems.Yeah,yeah, every once in a while you'll see an idiot puffing away with 4 kids in the back seat. It's not a perfect world and government can't make it perfect.

I am a smoker

Submitted by Washingtonwoman on January 8, 2009 - 1:46pm.

I am a smoker and I don't smoke around thoes who do not. I want a cigarett, they don't. It's rude and uncareing of the health of others. What I do to mysele is my business but I don't have the right to do it to others. Sure you have a right to smoke if that is your addiction but you don't have a right to put others at risk.

Have a little self control.

I voted no.

Submitted by tokyoev on January 8, 2009 - 11:09am.

Why did I vote no? I don't believe that you can legislate against stupid.
.
Smoking in a car, around children, is not a bright idea. It is stupid. But is it something that you can truly pass a law to ban? If you are willing to pass this law, what else will you also pass a law against? Drinking and smoking during pregnancy causes birth defects, should we pass a law against that as abuse? Snowboarders who get in accidents are more likely to suffer serious head injuries if they don't wear helmets, should we pass a law? People who don't get a college degree will earn less on average than people who do, should we pass a law?
.
Where does it end? Education and peer pressure is a good key to this. Shoot, if nothing else, charge them with abuse. Those laws are all ready on the books.

Wow!

Submitted by sylandad on January 8, 2009 - 11:00am.

It's hard to believe with all of the proof that second hand smoke is not good for people that their are still those who think it should be ok to smoke in a car with their children, or anyone else for that matter. Smoking kills! It's pretty simple. So, go ahead and continue to kill yourself but please don't force your children to suffer also.

I voted yes as well

Submitted by mcgyver on January 8, 2009 - 1:56pm.

Self discipline, self control and self denial are marks of character and distinction that seem far too rare these days.

Tough One

Submitted by moo on January 7, 2009 - 11:08pm.

I voted yes. Today I'm a non smoker of 13 years. When I smoked, I would have felt differently, although there is no question that second hand smoke is awful for little ones.

Considering....

Submitted by Tamlyn on January 7, 2009 - 10:47pm.

It would be poisonous to feed the ingredients of a cigarette to your child (besides the bad taste, that's why you don't), why is allowing them to inhale it different? My kids' dad smoked, but he smoked outside, away from them. The kids were never allowed to participate in his habit, we didn't even allow them to bring him the pack of cigarettes from across the room. Rant at me if you want, but I do consider it abusive to smoke near or around kids. Let them make their own health choices when they're adults, but at least give them a healthy start.

Anybody smoking DOPE around children are a hell of a lot worse

Submitted by david1943 on January 7, 2009 - 9:25pm.

Wake up you duffus. Get the law back catching the bad guys. Not the guy making a buck who happens to smoke and is trying to raise their kids.

Anything

Submitted by CrazyJim on January 8, 2009 - 12:43am.

For mindless banter I suppose!

Smoking around children... no...

Submitted by maberi on January 7, 2009 - 12:50pm.

I quite frankly think it's selfish to smoke around children, or anyone who doesn't smoke for that matter!
But understand this smokers.... I just recently quit smoking! So I understand your side, I really do. I still think if you smoke, or don't smoke, you both need to understand what is fair and isn't fair!
I got pissed when the smoking ban came into play yes! But then it only took me a small amount of time to realize what I was actually doing to the others in the bar or restaurant, or workers, who did NOT smoke! Yeah, I went through the phase of, "well then they should just get out of here an go somewhere else where there isn't smoking!" I know you all still say that, but we all know that's not fair.
I only quit smoking because I found out I was pregnant. But now I also am dealing with the fact that I just had a miscarriage .... and can only wonder if it was due to me smoking, or the second and third hand smoke I have been so closely around the past few months.
We all have heard what second and third hand smoke can do to other people, and know how often others really do get lung cancer just from 2nd & 3rd hand smoke... why would we even question doing it around innocent children who can't say anything about it. Especially since they can't get behind the wheel of a car and drive smoke free!
I do not think the government should have to get involved on what should honestly be common sense. Even by you smokers, you know who you are, that seem to think what you do to yourself isn't harming others. Don't forget, I was there once. Now my life is turned upside down worrying that my smoking or that second hand smoke was the cause.

Kids Can't Control Bad Health

Submitted by jamc379 on January 7, 2009 - 9:05pm.

Kids can't and shouldn't be put in the position of deciding that smoke from cigarettes is bad for their health. Just as workers are protected from second hand smoke so should our children.

Car seats are mandatory because kids cannot speak for themselves. So should smoking in cars. I think this is an even worse environment than restaurants.

Should the police enforce this... I don't like government telling people what to do. But when it comes to helping the helpless... I think so.

Smoke if you like. Just don't expose your children to it.

It seems common sense to me.

Common sense doesn't seem to be all that common

Submitted by monmornQB on January 8, 2009 - 7:42am.

otherwise we wouldn't pass laws or discuss passing laws that expand the power of government over a "free society".

Coercion for "good" reasons..

Submitted by aislander on January 7, 2009 - 12:55pm.

...is still coercion. And those bars and restaurants are not "public" places but private businesses. We used to know the difference in this country...

When was that?

Submitted by beerBoy on January 8, 2009 - 7:02am.

when public serving houses weren't subject to health codes?

Our society

Submitted by wajacquie on January 7, 2009 - 11:10am.

has chosen to have smoking be a legal activity and the selling of cigs legal. So maybe the people who want these bans just make this product illegal? The big problem is the government wants to control every area of our lives. After all they know better than us, yeah, sure.

Again, no I do not smoke, no I do not like the smoke but I believe smokers have a right to smoke as long as it is a legal product and activity. I did not believe in the public places smoking ban. I just chose to go to places where people did not smoke.

BTW out new president smokes, ask him for the sake of hope and change to make this product illegal.

How would this be enforced?

Submitted by theAxiom on January 7, 2009 - 10:18am.

More women smoke than men. This law would be discriminatory. Children of smokers are frequently exposed to other things FAR more harmful and traumatic than smoke. Duh.

Such As?

Submitted by DAKOTANATIVE on January 7, 2009 - 11:15am.

Like what?

I'd be interested to hear some opinions

Submitted by ugogurl00 on January 7, 2009 - 10:17am.

I'd be interested to hear some opinions/thoughts on how you folks feel this corollates to the issue of parents choosing to withhold medical treatment for their children based on religious beliefs. Do you see a similarity? Do you see a difference?

Have you ever driven over the speed limit

Submitted by wajacquie on January 7, 2009 - 7:54am.

with children in your car? Probably a lot of people have done that. Speeding is breaking the law. I don't like smoking, I don't smoke but I like the government interferring in my life even less. If we are going to ban smoking everywhere than just make smoking illegal. We have a double standard here.

No Sense

Submitted by dougery on January 7, 2009 - 7:03pm.

We're talking about rules to protect those who can not protect themselves.. Kids! I'm not one supporting over regulation, but we do need regulations to protect kids, even from their parents.

People are basically locking their kids into a closed tiny room, strapped into a seat with nowhere to go, and forcing them to inhale carcinogens for as long as they are in the car.

How would anyone supporting smoking in cars like it if you were FORCED to sit in a chair for 30 minutes perhaps 2 or 3 times per day, and inhale farts from a distance of 2 feet (and farts aren't even a carcinogen as far as I know).

Kids can get sick, they can contract diseases, and they can die, but they can't control the uncaring behavior of their parents. Sometimes the government has to step in, and I think this is one case where it would be for a good cause!

I drive the speed limit or

Submitted by Dcr628 on January 7, 2009 - 8:15am.

I drive the speed limit or slight under for one reason.

I want those speeding, IDIOTS as far ahead of me as I can get them. When they are up ahead of me the ball is in MY court.

Following distance is completely and totally under MY control.

There is no way I am going to put my safety and the safety of my passengers in the hands of these morons who drive our local streets!

Oh sure, someone will rightly say that as they are passing me I have no control, but the majority of the time the SPEEDING IDIOT passing me is only focused on getting around me. There are those of course, who out of spite will pass then cut back in too close, or get ahead and slam on the brakes to get even ( isnt it fun to share our streets with responsible, mature adults?) but as frequent as they are they are well in the minority and even THEN, I have control when I expect it and adjust BEFORE they pull the trick.

By the way, travelling the actual LIMIT, I dont impede traffic, I stay in the proper lane. If anyone is "impeded" its only the guilty speeders who are impeded.

Random

Submitted by wajacquie on January 7, 2009 - 11:04am.

random

i'm about sick of, goverment

Submitted by mexico on January 7, 2009 - 7:33am.

i'm about sick of, goverment in our lives. tell us what is best for us. i think were alot smarter than,they are.see how great our country is doing now.
so,what, now hire the smoking police ?
next they will tell us that we can't smoke in our house's ? let's add more stupid law's. we can't even enforce that one's we have now.

Smoking Police

Submitted by beerBoy on January 7, 2009 - 7:54am.

I can't wait until the Reality TV show comes up!

" i think were alot smarter than,they are."

Submitted by AmandaDaniel on January 7, 2009 - 7:38am.

Ohhh, the irony...

Should people smoke near

Submitted by reformedliberal on January 7, 2009 - 5:52am.

Should people smoke near children?
No.
.
Should the government pass a law concerning this?
Hell no.

I disagree.

Submitted by AmandaDaniel on January 7, 2009 - 6:03am.

Without a law, people will ignore rationality and continue on the pathway to sheer destruction.

I disagree

Submitted by jrbj on January 7, 2009 - 10:58am.

C'mon AmandaDaniel, even with a law people ignore rationality and continue on the pathway to sheer destruction. The problem is that people who have no regard for their own children are permitted to breed anyway and there's nothing to be done about it.

RE:I disagree.Aint that the

Submitted by Dcr628 on January 7, 2009 - 7:59am.

RE:I disagree.

Aint that the truth!! Hey this is getting scary when Amanda and Dale are on teh same page!! :D

To find the truth in AmandaD's statement, just watch people for awhile. Its actually quite amusing.

Remember when in Kindergarten, kids were taught to stand in line and not push and shove? Those kids never developed beyond that stage as adults. They just got bigger! Now they stand in line in their cars and STILL push and shove! "Me me me me me first!!"

Nope without laws and standards, those apparent "adults" are still Neanderthals crawling out of a cave! "Everything is Okay as long as its what I want to tdo and I wont get caught." Just look at the red lights start flashing when one sees a cop on the other side of the road writing a ticket. The guilt meter goes right off the scale! Just like, "Yep if that cop sees me speedding, he is going to drop that ticket book right there, let that other guy go and come right after me"!! Sheeesh!

Yesireee, we live in a world full of donkeys! HAAAAA!

Smoking Around Children

Submitted by davidjohnjr on January 7, 2009 - 6:34am.

The same people that will smoke in their car with their children are the same people that will "ignore rationality and continue on the pathway to sheer destruction", law or no law. The same people that will smoke in their car with their children are the same people that will go home and smoke in their house, children inside.
I know that people that support this idea have the children's health in mind, but really, what would this law do? The time spent in the car is miniscule compared to at home, so unless people want to try making smoking in their homes illegal there's little good to come of it.
Everyone knows it's not good for the children. Does anyone expect someone to have an epiphany and say "Hey, it's illegal now..maybe I shouldn't do it!"?

" law or no law. "

Submitted by AmandaDaniel on January 7, 2009 - 6:35am.

Then they will go to jail.

"Law or no Law"

Submitted by davidjohnjr on January 7, 2009 - 6:48am.

They they will have to pay a ticket.

Child endangerment is a Class 1 Felony,

Submitted by AmandaDaniel on January 7, 2009 - 6:51am.

Punishable by 10 years in prison. Not a ticket.

Child Endangerment

" A person who is the parent, guardian, or person having custody or control over a child or a minor under the age of eighteen with a mental or physical disability, or a person who is a member of the household in which a child or such a minor resides, commits child endangerment when the person does any of the following: a. Knowingly acts in a manner that creates a substantial risk to a child or minor's physical, mental or emotional health or safety "

And that is exactly why

Submitted by beerBoy on January 7, 2009 - 7:00am.

the law is out of proportion. Smoking a cigarette in a car with a child may be bad but felony child endangerment seems more than a little hyperbolic.
.
Consider this, dad is driving the kids after a very bad day at work. This has made him tense. The kids are acting out, this makes dad tense. Dad is physically addicted to smoking but cannot smoke in the car. This makes dad tense. With all of these stressors dad is not as effective as a safe driver. Isn't that a really risk of child endangerment?

A tense dad

Submitted by AmandaDaniel on January 7, 2009 - 7:03am.

Should learn to chew some gum. Or get a stress ball. If he can't fight off the horrors of his day without exposing his children to cigarette smoke, then he's got a worse problem than semantics. They make chewable Nicorette in mint now, you know.

Wow, AD

Submitted by davidjohnjr on January 7, 2009 - 6:58am.

So you're saying if they passed this into law, anyone caught smoking in a car with a child would be charged straight-out with child endangerment?

You see, to a lawyer, definitions are everything. What is a "substantial risk to a child"? Smoking in the car once with a child in the back seat?

Heck yes!

Submitted by AmandaDaniel on January 7, 2009 - 7:00am.

You stuff an innocent little tyke into a tiny enclosed space with no outside airflow save a tiny recirculation system, then fill that space with a cancer-causing fog consisting of approximately five thousand noxious carcinogens, and I'll flat out tell you that's child endangerment.

Five thousand carcinogens?

Submitted by mcgyver on January 7, 2009 - 7:15am.

Okay, sometimes you shouldn't believe everything you read. Do you know how expensive it would be for them to pack that many into a cigarette? LOL

I'm sure that pediatric hospitals are sooooo dishonest.

Submitted by AmandaDaniel on January 7, 2009 - 7:18am.

http://tinyurl.com/9znmgo

Child Endangerment

Submitted by davidjohnjr on January 7, 2009 - 7:09am.

Then it becomes an issue of technicality..you paint the worst-case scenario...what if all windows are rolled down? What if the amount of secondhand smoke is equivalent to what used to be like sitting in the non-smoking section in a restaurant (when it was permitted)? Is that "substantial risk", even if the car is well-ventilated?

Furthermore, what is the definition of a "child"-child in the eyes of the common person, or child in the eyes of the law? Should smoking in a car with a 17 year old be "child endangerment"?

What f

Submitted by DAKOTANATIVE on January 7, 2009 - 10:40am.

What if you mean to smack the kid straight in the nose, but he moves enough to just cause a jaw breaking glance. Still qualfies as abuse. Everyone knows second hand smoke is dangerousn in any amount. Some are too stupid to care.

Again with the technicalities...

Submitted by AmandaDaniel on January 7, 2009 - 7:11am.

If a father punches his child in the face, is it less of a crime depending on how many bruises he leaves? Should a father be allowed to smack his kid around if he's had a hard day and the kid's being whiny? Exposing your own child to danger simply to relieve stress or feed an addiction is Child Endangerment, no matter how it's rationalized. Of course this is all my opinion, so feel free to discount it.

Technicalities are what law is about

Submitted by beerBoy on January 7, 2009 - 7:24am.

as the old saying goes "the devil is in the details".

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