Consultation on smoking in cars

Consultation on smoking in cars

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A consultation on the draft regulations to prohibit smoking in cars with children under 18 present has been launched.

The consultation will run for six weeks until Wednesday 27 August.

The changes would extend existing smoke-free laws to make it an offence to smoke in a private vehicle with someone under 18 present or to fail to prevent smoking in a private vehicle with someone under 18 present.

The World Health Organisation found that second-hand smoke is a real and substantial threat to child health, causing a variety of adverse health effects including increased susceptibility to lower respiratory tract infections like pneumonia and bronchitis, worsening of asthma, middle ear disease, decreased lung function, and sudden infant death syndrome.

Andrea Crossfield, Chief Executive of Tobacco Free Futures, which led the campaign for smoke free cars in the North West, said: “Smoky cars, packed full of toxic tobacco chemicals, are especially deadly to children because they have smaller lungs, faster breathing and less developed immune systems.

"Tobacco Free Futures welcomes the launch today of the consultation on the draft regulations, this is great news for children and another step closer to protecting them from secondhand smoke in cars.

“Support for smoke-free cars when carrying under 18s is strong in the North West, with a recent YouGov survey showing 80% of the public in favour, and only 7% opposed.

“We have been working hard with North West local authorities and national partners over the last five years to raise awareness of the dangers associated with smoky cars throughout the region.”

To have your say visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposals-to-make-private-vehicles-smokefree-when-carrying-children