To ban or not to ban car smoking

by Wen Xing Ho

April 25, 2008

WHETHER smoking should be banned in cars, to help save children’s lungs, is becoming a topic for debate in Western Australia.

 “There is overwhelming evidence that smoking in a car which is an enclosed space endangers children,” said Professor Mike Daube, President of the Australian council on Smoking and Health. “The Western Australian government has always been the national leader in tobacco control.

“It has a very comprehensive program but there is a need to ban smoking in cars to protect children.

Professor Daube said he could not see why the WA government could not ban smoking in cars since two other eastern states had already done it.

However, the president of WA’s Council of Civil Liberties, Peter Weygers, said legislation was not the answer to everything.

“Children have a right to a smoke free environment,” Mr Weygers said. “I think it is a wiser choice to have a massive education campaign, like supporting proper rehab programs to stop addiction to smoking.

“Legislation won’t stop the people from smoking in their cars.”  

South Australia has banned smoking in cars since May last year, and Tassie has since January 1 this year. The New South Wales government has just released a proposition to ban smoking in cars carrying children.