Health Canada considering new anti smoking law from Maine General: Discussion

Bawango · #1 01-30-2007

Health Canada is considering adopting a law that prohibits smoking in vehicles when thare are kids from the age of 18 and under. Apparently this law is already in affect Arkansas and another state in the US. If you are caught doing the deed, you get fined $50.00.
I personally think that it is a good law as kids don't really have a say when an adult lights up in the car. And its for the good of the childs health in the long run.

Mandy · #2 01-30-2007

Hopefully this passes. Smoking should not be tolerated by anyone; exspecially by those who are too young to voice their opinions.

Dan_Man · #3 01-30-2007

I hope Health Canada introduces this law!
Kids shouldn't have to suffer the consequences of their parents second hand smoke.

NoseToTheGrind · #4 01-30-2007

I as a non-smoker, grew up around smokers, and really hope this law passes...I used to ask as a child for them to either open windows, or start coughing...and well...they use to tell me if I started I wouldn't notice it so much.

homey · #5 01-30-2007

I really hope this law passes...nothing worse than seeing people smoking with a small baby in their car....I remember being a kid and even with the windows opened a crack....you still got a lung full of smoke...it was so hard to breathe....let's keep our fingers crossed that this one goes through.

Corinne · #6 01-30-2007

Oh yes, I remember the days riding along in the car with two or more smoking adults. Windows up all the way in the summer (because the air conditioning was on) or down just a crack in the winter...and your eyes would be burning out of your head and breathing in all that smoke. I would be begging them not to smoke in the car with me, but I grew up in a generation of smokers who really didn't see the harm. I definitly hope they pass this law.

Mandi · #7 01-30-2007

It's about time! I hope that this goes through. I think it's disgusting to see people care so little. They couldn't take a pit stop to step outside the car? So sad to see children subjected to this. I was as a child, and I hated it. You'd really think that parents and those who watch children would be considerate enough not to do this in the first place....

Mandi · #8 01-30-2007

Quote:

Smokers think of nobody but themselves.They think they rule the world:I smoke I need an extra break (while working) what about us non smokers we can't use that as an excuse can we!

Hahahaha Coffee break? Scratch your butt break? >. > run to the vending machine to get your chocolate fix break? I can think of all kinds of breaks that I would take if a smoker at my place of employment got away with 'smoke' breaks.

Lemme_LQQK · #9 01-30-2007

I am a smoker and I believe that it's a 50/50 thing between the non smokers and the smokers , but in no way is anyone going to tell me I cannot smoke in my own vehicle , there's no way they can enforce that. I mean how are they going to tell if there is a baby or very small child in the car ,unless u have a banner waving in the wind stating the fact.

The police have better things to do than do something as trivial as pull someone over for that. Look at the so called no smoking law of no smoking in company vehicles, uh huh, take a good look around. Especially at the del trucks , moving trucks,the mail truck for land sake, the list goes on, it's because there is nothing they can do to stop it.

Honestly people ...give your head a shake. It's stupid talk.

Mandi · #10 01-30-2007

Stupid talk that makes an aweful lot of sense.... I'm sure it would be enforced when possible, and if only a few people got tickets for being so inconsiderate of younger people's lungs, then that would make me happier than if no one did.

Lemme_LQQK · #11 01-30-2007

we'll see !!!

**vanessalynn5484** · #12 01-30-2007

As a child I was always in the car with adults who smoked and I used to hate it. I understand that back then it was ignorance really. I know plenty of smokers now who do not smoke in their car anyways because they take their child in it (since they don't want their children breathing it in). It would raise awareness that the danger of second hand smoke is very real (for those who don't know or are in denial) so I am for it!

The_Dave · #13 01-30-2007

It is just common sense to not smoke in a vehicle with a child or for that matter anyone who does not smoke. It is a matter of respect.

Lemme_LQQK · #14 01-30-2007

They may pass it , but never enforce it......lolol talking from the top of their hats .....plain stupid talk.

sjchickie · #15 01-30-2007

I guess I have 2 things to say...Im a smoker and i never smoke in the car when my daughter is in their. Sometimes when shes not sure i do BUT its about respect....no you shouldnt expose your children to second hand smoke however I agree with Lemme the chances of them enforcing that is slim here is why. We live in a democracy, that vehicle is your personal property as is your home so to say that they would ban it in cars than why not ban it in homes???? Because as adults we have the choice until cigarettes are illegal and as long as we dont smoke in public to really do what we want.

It is very disrespectful to Smoke with your child in the car....however we live in a democracy for a reason. As a canadian citizen we have a right to smoke, hence why its legal, so to take that right away from us while our kids is in the car would be nearly impossible to enforce. It makes good sense to do it yes, but politically speaking the government cant dictate to us what we can and can not do with our own property as long as its within our legal rights. So yes for the kids it would be better i agree 100% but the chances of them passing such a law would be nearly impossible, the government doesnt get to pick and chose when and when we cant have the rights given to us written in the constitution.
MAYBE they can come up with some other idea that can help prevent the smoking with children around but dictating to us is not what being canadian is all about
I say good luck to health canada whatever the outcome

Mandi · #16 01-30-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjchickie

I guess I have 2 things to say...Im a smoker and i never smoke in the car when my daughter is in their. Sometimes when shes not sure i do BUT its about respect....no you shouldnt expose your children to second hand smoke however I agree with Lemme the chances of them enforcing that is slim here is why. We live in a democracy, that vehicle is your personal property as is your home so to say that they would ban it in cars than why not ban it in homes???? Because as adults we have the choice until cigarettes are illegal and as long as we dont smoke in public to really do what we want.

It is very disrespectful to Smoke with your child in the car....however we live in a democracy for a reason. As a canadian citizen we have a right to smoke, hence why its legal, so to take that right away from us while our kids is in the car would be nearly impossible to enforce. It makes good sense to do it yes, but politically speaking the government cant dictate to us what we can and can not do with our own property as long as its within our legal rights. So yes for the kids it would be better i agree 100% but the chances of them passing such a law would be nearly impossible, the government doesnt get to pick and chose when and when we cant have the rights given to us written in the constitution.
MAYBE they can come up with some other idea that can help prevent the smoking with children around but dictating to us is not what being canadian is all about
I say good luck to health canada whatever the outcome

Well darlin, drinking is legal. and you can't drink and drive can you? you put others at risk, smoking with a child in your car puts them at risk. I have to agree, it would be difficult to enforce, but I would really love to see them do it. A car is a much more confined area than a house.

Dan_Man · #17 01-30-2007

Good point Mandi!

Bawango · #18 01-30-2007

Yeah its going to be difficult to enforce like a lot of existing laws but its a step towards the right direction. I cannot believe what I am reading! For the sake of smoking some people here would rather not make the small sacrifice of not smoking in your vehicle while your kids are in it. Also we are talking about smoking in your vehicle not in a company vehicle. I'm sure most people do not drive their kids in the company van.
I'm also all for having rights but what about your kids right to clean air?!
Also people the law if passed only gets you in trouble if you are caught smoking in your car with kids in it that are 18 years old and below.
To me this is not a very difficult choice to make. Suck it up and wait till my kids get out of the car then smoke? or smoke anyway while my kids are in the car? Consider this, smoke in your car and expose your kids to second hand smoke. Whats the worse that can happen? Asthma? Okay, Asthma = having to buy asthma medication which is not covered my medicare.
Flovent alone is $80.00 if you have no benefits. Bad enough that you willingly pay $7 a pack for smokes, now you have to pay for your kids asthma medication?! Thats if your kids only gets asthma.

Corinne · #19 01-30-2007

In an ideal world most parents would have enough common sense not to smoke in their vehicle and subject their child to second hand smoke. However, we do not live in an ideal world and unfortunately I see people puffing in their cars all the time with their kids sitting right beside them or behind them. Therefore why not support a law that will at least, on some occasions, fine those who lack that sense and perhaps make them think about what they are doing. At the very least make them pay for their mistakes.

user5624 · #20 01-30-2007

I read somewhere that growing up in second hand smoke doubles your chances of lung cancer. I wish I knew where I read that, if anybody can find it (if anybody decides to look this up) can you post the source?