Car smoke ban a gross intrusion on people's privacy
Wednesday, December 17, 2014 at 15:34 The BBC is reporting that a ban on smoking in cars with children will begin in October 2015.
Car smoke ban 'to start in October' (BBC News)
The BBC report includes a short quote from me. Forest's full response was:
The smokers' group Forest says regulations prohibiting smoking in cars with children are "unnecessary", "excessive" and a "gross intrusion on people's privacy".
Director Simon Clark said, "The government is taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
"The overwhelming majority of smokers know smoking in a car with children is inconsiderate and they don't do it.
"The regulations are unnecessary and excessive. Do we really want to criminalise people for lighting a cigarette in a private vehicle?
"How is the law going to be enforced? The police have better things to do than look for drivers smoking on the off chance there's a child in the car.
"The next step will be a ban on smoking in all private vehicles followed by measures to prevent smoking in the home.
"It's a gross intrusion on people's privacy."
I'm in Dublin today but I'm scheduled to be on Five Live around 6.30 (if they can get me out of the pub).
Oh, and the BBC News Channel is trying to book a studio so they can also interview me. (This is seriously ruining my plans for the evening!)
Yesterday I gave a short interview to BBC News health editor Hugh Pym. If I survive the edit I'll be on the Six O'Clock and Ten O'Clock News.
Update: Kingdom FM in Fife has just taught me how to record and send a Voice Memo using my iPhone.
As a result I was able to record my reaction to the car smoke ban story and email it to them for immediate broadcast.
Apparently the sound quality is far superior to recording via landline or mobile.
Simon Clark
Forest is quoted in the following reports:
Car smoke ban 'to start in October' (BBC News)
Smoking banned in cars when children are present (Daily Telegraph)
Smoking in cars containing children to be BANNED next year (Daily Mirror)
Smokers who light up with children in the car face being fined £50 (Daily Mail)
Reader Comments (5)
At least more children will be walking to school.
Why do you write (if they can get me out of the pub) are you an 18year old boy? You are commenting on a serious health issue and you seem to act like it is a bit of a laugh. I live near an area where children are seen exposed to cigarette smoke in cars every day. The same children don't wear seatbelts and bounce around like rag dolls. We accept seatbelts are a legal necessity we should accept not smoking around children is as well
JayMI
I was exposed to smoke as a child and it does not appear to have done me any harm. The problem is that the science around passive smoking is not proven and has been used as a vehicle by the Tobacco Control brigade to introduce unenforceable laws. Do you serious think the police are going to act as health guardians and issue £50.00 fines. If you repeat a lie enough times it somehow becomes the "truth". TC is funded handsomely by taxpayers and is one of the biggest fraud happening in the UK today. It also highlights how gullible and stupid our political classes have become.
@Bill C " It also highlights how gullible and stupid our political classes have become."
Speaking of which, remember when Ed Milliband announced recently that he'd increase NHS funding by raising taxes on tobacco - until someone pointed out the stupidity of using funds which would diminish from implementation of another Labour policy? No more was heard.
If you didn't laugh you'd weep.
I find it astounding that anyone could take a pro-smoking stance in any argument or discussion.
Looking at this site and the Forest website makes me feel sick that people like this exist at all...
Its a typically selfish attitude to take "Well im alright" or "it never hurt me" make people sound ignorant