I’m not a big fan of smoking. I don’t like the smell, the effect it has on your health or the cost of a pack of cigarettes. But I’m also not a fan of telling people when and where they can’t smoke. And I’m definitely against telling people that they can’t smoke in their cars.
But when they’re smoking in cars with their kids, it poses a dilemma. On the one hand, we’re talking about people’s own kids, and it’s their decision to smoke in the cars with them. I mean, you can’t really tell parents how to raise their children. And once you ban smoking in cars because of children, where do the bans stop?
But in Australia, they’re doing just that. The Tobacco Control Officers from the Health Department are fining people who smoke in cars that also have kids in them. Some fines can cost well over $100.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining about the message they’re trying to send. You really shouldn’t smoke in your vehicle if your kids are also in the car. But what’s next? Will they start issuing fines to parents who swear in front of their children? Or will they start imposing fines on parents who eat Twinkies in front of their children? After all, you could argue that both habits are just as bad for kids as secondhand smoke.
I’m assuming that new law will be coming to North America soon, too. That is, if it hasn’t already sneaked its way into some states. So if you drive your certified Ford around with your kids, be sure to put that cigarette out. Don’t do it out of fear of being fined. Do it because it’s the right thing to do for your child’s health and your health.
