All smoking in cars should be banned across the UK to protect people from second-hand smoke, doctors say. The British Medical Association called for the extension of the current ban on smoking in public places after reviewing evidence of the dangers. It highlighted research showing the levels of toxins in a car can be up to 23 times higher than in a smoky bar. But a report by a cross-party group of MPs and peers said non-legislative options should be considered as well. The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health even said calling for an immediate ban could be "counterproductive" as consensus needed to be built across society before taking such as step. The group said there should be a consultation on tackling smoking in cars which could look at whether it would be better to have an outright ban, or if more could be achieved by raising awareness about the dangers through education campaigns. It pointed out that policing a ban on smoking in cars could be difficult. No part of the UK has yet implemented a ban, although ministers in Northern Ireland have said they will launch a consultation on the issue. Meanwhile, in Wales a public awareness campaign has begun highlighting the dangers of smoking in cars. Officials have said if that does not succeed over the next three years, a ban will be introduced. Neither England or Scotland are currently considering introducing legislation at the moment. But the BMA believes tougher action is needed. The doctors' union said an outright ban - even if there were no passengers - would be the best way of protecting children as well as non-smoking adults. It said the young were particularly vulnerable from second-hand smoke as they absorbed more pollutants and their immune systems were less developed. Research has show that second-hand smoke can increase the risk of a range of conditions, including sudden infant death syndrome and asthma, as well as impairing lung function. Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of science at the BMA, admitted introducing a ban would be a "bold and courageous" move. She added: "The evidence for extending smoke-free legislation is compelling." International action While no part of the UK has yet taken such a step, countries elsewhere in the world have. Some states in Canada, the US and Australia, as well as the whole of South Africa, have introduced legislation, but in each case it has been focused on stopping smoking where children are present. Instead, the BMA said a complete ban would be better as it would be easier to police. It would also have the added benefit of potentially improving safety as smoking could be a distraction for the driver, the report said. The recommendation, which was produced after doctors' voted at their annual conference in the summer in favour of their union lobbying for a ban, received some support from other health groups. However, the likes of Asthma UK and the British Heart Foundation said any ban should only cover children. But smokers' lobby group Forest said there was "no justification" for a ban at all. Director Simon Clark said: "Legislation is a gross overreaction. What next, a ban on smoking in the home?" A spokesman for the Department of Health in England said: "We do not believe that legislation is the most effective way to encourage people to change their behaviour." He said instead a marketing campaign would be launched in the spring which would focus on the dangers of smoking in the home and car.
Well I have banned smoking in my car but it should be people's own choice because it's not a public place.
Biggest load of bollocks i've heard in a while,who exactly would be able to stop me? No one would take any notice of it and would just carry on,I know I would.
It's because you're a ****, uttercunt It shouldn't be banned. Opening the window and not smoking 5 at once makes a big difference.
You won't be able to afford to drive or smoke when these bastards have finished with us, so ****ing ban the BMA, interfering ****s
I don't think it should be legal to smoke in a car with a child in, that's just unfair. But by yourself, I don't see the problem.
The point abput how it's going to be enforced is a good one. It's illegal to use a mobile phone whilst driving but how often are people pulled over for that. BMA must stand for Bloody Minded Arrogance.
This bampot idea WILL be taken seriously in Scotland They argue that 44 people have died due to passive smoking so smoking must be banned in cars Surely we should just ban cars Ban salt, sugar, mobile phones, mountaineering, standing in the rain They all have an element of risk Utter pish And I'm a non smoker
I don't smoke myself, but I don't agree with this nonsense. If someone owns a vehicle, then they should be free to do as they please in it. If non smokers dont like it, then don't get in the vehicle, simle as that. What will they be doing next? Banning peope for smoking in there homes
I like carrying large blocks of asbestos in the back of my car, but some people seem to have a problem with this. I can't understand it.
I know. Sometimes, when driving, I like to drift onto the other side of the road and play chicken with traffic coming the other way. Apparently, I'm "mental"
I'm a smoker, but I never smoke inside the house or in a car. But if these health Nazis get their way, I mught just start to.
Where does it say that they're going to ban smoking in cars in the UK? The BMA has no power, this is just a Daily Mail-esque article to make people angry about 'losing their freedoms' and 'the nanny state'. It will never happen
He has a point, for instance no smoking at bus stops fair enough but I'm still gonna have a puff waiting on the bus just not inside the shelter (out of basic sense i never have anyway) i don't see the problem otherwise.
What a load of rubbish, this figure of up to 23 times higher the toxins in a car is disputed. This is more to scare monger to enforce further legislation. If it is that high, why did they not ban smoking in private cars before banning it in bars, probably another knee jerk reaction on advice from the BMA. I'm not arguing on whether it does harm or not, it is more about people being allowed to make their own informed choices and they have freely more than done so over the last couple of decades. Well before the current smoking ban, people were quitting smoking in their homes and cars, although bear in mind there is already legislation in place banning smoking in company vehicles. The BMA and the Government need to do one and stop interfering. This has not and will not stop here, next it will be legislation from everything from what you drink to what you eat. So support this legislation if you choose, in another decade it will be further legislation that affects other areas of our daily life. This government and previous governments are turning us in to a nanny state or are we already owned by dictators?
