Proposed bill would prohibit smoking in car with child passengers

[CShine]

California lawmakers are considering a bill that would make California the first state in the nation to prohibit smokers from lighting up in a private car when children are present. The proposal by Assemblyman Marco Firebaugh, D-South Gate, has drawn the ire of Republican lawmakers who say it goes too far in attempting to police personal behavior. Supporters, however, call it a crucial stride toward protecting the state's children from the damaging effects of second-hand smoke.

"It just seemed to me that it was one effective, intelligent way to reduce the risk to kids," said Firebaugh, who said that asthma is common among children in his home district in southeast Los Angeles.

Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy, R-Monrovia, called the measure "big brother government."

"Government is going to raise our kids for us because parents don't know what's best? That's a very scary thought," Mountjoy said.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/9063854p-9989746c.html

[stopbush]

1. About time! n/t

[saigon68]

9. Not so FAST !!!! says JOE CAMEL

AT SCHOOL

From the other side of the playground, a tall, cool, swinging fellow in a trenchcoat slides his way into view. He peers out one corner of his shades, and then out the other, making sure there are no teachers in sight, and then he opens up his coat, the inside of which is lined with packs upon packs of a wide variety of cigarettes and complimentary Zippo (tm) lighters.

[oreocat]

2. You have got to be sh*ting me

What's next, no swearing or listening to "dirty" music with kids in the car ?

This crap has got to stop !!!!

[7th_Sephiroth]

3. silly adults, havent you learned

the world is all about the children, adults allways have to limit and restrict thier fun, to make childrent make sure they think santa clause and mickey mouse and jesus are real, and thier all smiles and they love you

[PartyPooper]

4. Even with the windows wide open?

Most of California has great weather most of the year. Many folks drive with their windows down for ventilation.

And, what about other passengers besides children?

I'm a smoker, and I never smoke in my vehicle with the windows rolled up...or, with anyone else riding with me. And, I never smoke in another person's car.

I call it common courtesy.

:smoke:

[TruthSeerUmm]

5. This moron Marco Firebaugh is a republican right?

We can use this to show what moronic republicans like Marco Firebaugh are doing to us with their facist lawmaking. This needs to get nationwide publicity now!

[sablescort]

12. well did you look closely?

Firebaugh's a Dem....

[TruthSeerUmm]

13. Whoops.

Either we keep this lowkey or dump the nutcase.

[Mari333]

6. But the smog is okay! Lets ignore the smog and pollution in LA

:bounce:
Dont go after the big polluters. They have the politicians in their pockets.

[sendero]

7. what if the windows are down?

This is the kind of legislation that makes me want to be a Libertarian, and I HATE the libertarian philosophy in general.


There is a place for using law to mold societal behavior, but there is also such a thing as going to damn far.

[pop goes the weasel]

8. on the one hand

I was a child who nearly died from respiratory problems, including asthma, when I was a pre-schooler. Those problems began in Los Angeles in 1963, forcing the family to move me out of the worst smog in the nation or watch me die. But I didn't fully recover until I moved away from home at 18, away from my dad's cigarette use. I spent 2 months constantly coughing up thick discolored mucus as my lungs began to clear at last. So, yeah, smoking around kids is bad. Don't do it.

On the other hand, don't the police have better things to do? They can't even manage to pull over all the drunks and pot smokers and people who drive with infants in their laps. Imagine them trying to pull over tobacco smokers. Put the emphasis on public education. Public service ads should make it clear that there is a link between childhood respiratory problems and adults smoking around kids. Treat adults like adults, though. Expect that they will do their best for their kids according to the information they have, and leave it at that.

[progressivebydesign]

11. PSA' s are not enough.. sadly..

With all of the PSAs about child safety seats, it still takes a law to get kids properly restrained in cars. People are idiots.. they still smoke, even though they know the dangers.. they still smoke around their children... the law is a great way to stop this. Think of it from a taxpayer mentality.. it will certainly save the COuntry millions in health care costs for these children who have been inflicted with the highest doses of smoke possible, in the car.

[TruthSeerUmm]

14. Will McDonalds meals be next?

If health care costs are the excuse then why stop at smoking in your car? That kind of attitude will have us all eating soylent green.

[progressivebydesign]

10. I can already see who smokes on DU!

This bill is a great idea. You'd have to be a complete moron not to know the lilfelong damage you are doing to a child's lungs by smoking in the car. NO.. opening a window does nothing. Research shows that children get the most concentrated dose of those 3,00+ chemicals while in the car while clueless mommy or daddy is smoking.

People are obviously too dense to care for their own children's health on their own.. so the government has to step in. If you don't smoke in the car with your kids, then why would you object to banning it? This should be a no-brainer.. but people are incredibly stupid and footloose when it comes to their supposedly most precious possession. People would drive around with their children unrestrained in child seats or seat belts if we didn't have laws for it... it's just for those idiots that have no compunction about giving their child lifelong breathing problems.

[TruthSeerUmm]

15. No sale.

I don't like the term slippery slope but this line of thinking is a sure downhill path to depths unknown...

[Bonobo]

16. I'm an ex-smoker and rabidly anti-smoking but that is madness!

And you frighten me...

[Dulcinea]

17. Sorry, gotta side with the Rs on this.

Smoking is a terrible habit & shouldn't be encouraged, but legislating what people do in their own cars is going too far. This is an example of the "nanny state" that many people decry, justifiably so.

Flame away.

[sablescort]

18. I smoke in my car with my windows open.....

But I dont haul my kids around in my own car. I leave the kiddie taxi duty to my wife's own smoke-free car.

Besides I find it will be hard to enforce the law if it ever takes effect especially if it is a "Primary violation".

[ConcernedCanuk]

19. The next logical step is to make it illegal in the home, right?

.
.
.

I mean, there is LESS chance of a nice drafty window right beside the smoker in their house, so THAT should be illegal too!

Then neighbor can squeal on neighbor to the Police, because they SAW someone smoking in their house/car.

Of course, if the USA wants to keep treating it's citizens like idiots -

oh right,

the USA already is run by an idiot.

carry on . . .

:eyes: