Exposing children to second-hand smoke in cars illegal from today

A new law which makes it illegal to smoke in a vehicle carrying anyone under 18 comes into force today.

The legislation was passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament last year. It was introduced to give extra protection for children and young people from the harm caused by second-hand smoke.

Anyone caught breaking the law will be committing an offence carrying a fine of up to £1,000.

Second-hand smoke can cause conditions such as bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma, and children are more at risk than adults because they have smaller lungs and breathe more quickly.

Latest research highlights that the toxic particles in second-hand smoke can reach harmful concentrations within a minute of lighting a cigarette in a car.

Studies have also shown the average toxic particle levels breathed in during a smoking car journey are more than 10 times higher than the average levels which can be found in the air.

A public information campaign has been running on TV and radio in the run-up to the ban, highlighting the harms of second-hand smoke and the penalties for breaking the new law.

The measure is part of the Scottish government’s hope of creating a tobacco-free generation by 2034 – defined as a smoking rate of less than 5 per cent. A target to reduce the proportion of children exposed to second-hand smoke in the home from 12 per cent to 6 per cent by 2020 has already been met.

Public health minister Aileen Campbell said: “It’s simply not safe to smoke when a child is in the car. Dangerous levels of chemicals can build up, even on short journeys, and 85 per cent of second-hand smoke is invisible and odourless so you can’t always see what they’re breathing in.

“We know for a fact that the poisonous chemicals in second-hand smoke are extremely damaging to our health. We also know that children breathe faster than adults, meaning they ingest more of the deadly toxins.

“This government is committed to protecting children from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. Our target to reduce the proportion of children exposed in the home from 12 per cent to six per cent by 2020 has been met five years early. The ban on smoking in cars will help to build on that success by reinforcing the message that the toxic fumes from cigarette smoke are harmful – particularly to children.”

But chief medics have called for a blanket ban on the practice.

The British Medical Association (BMA) Scotland welcomed the move but called on the Scottish government to ban smoking in cars outright.

Dr Peter Bennie, BMA Scotland chairman, said: “Doctors witness first-hand the devastating effects of smoking-related harms on their patients.

“Children are still developing physically and are more susceptible to the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. An outright ban on smoking in vehicles would ensure that adults and particularly vulnerable adults who may be unable to object to others smoking while they are present, are also protected. This would also be easier to enforce.”