7. "This ban will lead to bans in all cars, in people's homes and then everywhere"
Smoking in cars results in concentrations of toxins much higher than are normally found elsewhere - for instance, up to 11 times higher than you used to find in the average smoky pub. Children are much more vulnerable to these toxins than adults, and are also less able to choose alternative modes of travel or speak up if they don't like someone smoking. That's why parliament is only considering a ban on smoking in cars carrying children. Suggesting that other bans will inevitably follow insults the intelligence of the public to make up their minds on each law on a case-by-case basis.
17 December 2014: The government announces that smoking in cars that carry children will be a criminal offence. Action on Smoking and Health respond by saying:
"We are delighted that the Government is to press ahead with regulations to prohibit smoking in cars containing children. As with the smoke-free public places law, this is a popular measure that will largely be self-enforcing. However, secondhand smoke is just as harmful to adults as children and it makes it more difficult to enforce if it only applies to some cars, not all. Seatbelt laws don't just apply to children, why should smoke-free car laws?"
See how it works yet?
This is how it always works when it comes to the never ending zeal of the public health community in seeking to control our day to day lives. The most depressing thing is that politicians of all colours except maybe UKIP are only too keen to support the aims of the behaviour controllers whilst forgetting that they are supposed to represent the views of their constituents rather than government sponsored sock puppets like ASH. If, as ASH say, such a rule will likely be self inforcing then why make it a criminal offence. Oh I forgot, they love the signs that say 'it's against the law to smoke in these premises'. Presumably they will campaign for future MOT tests to include the presence of a sign in your car saying that 'it's against the law to smoke in your car', because that is how it will likely end up.
ReplyDeleteThey got rid of tax disc to make room for the sign
ReplyDeleteI knew that there had to be a reason!
ReplyDeletePerhaps, though more likely because now vehicle tax can't be transferred along with the vehicle to a new keeper - thus, if you sell a taxed vehicle only the unused month(s) tax will be refunded, whereas the new tax will start from the beginning of the month of transfer. This'll be a nice little earner for DVLC. I'd guess well into the £millions.
ReplyDeleteIt's all adding up now!
ReplyDeleteTo its great shame, CRUK continues to fund Deborah Arnott using money people donated for cancer research. The fact that such foulness is acceptable in the charity industry is not a cause for celebration. It is very sad.
ReplyDeleteWow, this smoker bashing is now getting beyond a joke. Could them pushing for a total ban in cars be the straw that breaks the camels back? Or are the smokers going to roll over and accept the bullshit without putting up a fight like they always do.
ReplyDelete>>secondhand smoke is just as harmful to adults as children
ReplyDeleteNearly right - replace harmful by harmless and they'd be bang on. However the risk of accident or injury due to a traffic accident should mean that children should not be allowed in cars at all.