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Permalink Reply by Working-mom-of-2 on February 17, 2009 at 10:02am

For me it's the most horrible thing in the world when I see parents smoking in a car with kids. There are so many examples of both parents smoking and not even opening the window.

My father was /is chainsmoker. Has been all his life and me and my brother had to put up with it. Even my mom doesn't stand a chance.
I can still smell and taste it and I hated it.
I think it's good to forbid thing like this although they shld draw the line at 15 or 16.
I'm glad I don't ha e to worry about this issue since we are both non-smokers since 9 years so I know what I
talking about.


I used to smoke myself but NEVER in the car and NEVER around kids.

X

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Permalink Reply by Dale_Kelley on February 17, 2009 at 10:11am

I think that's kinda funny actually!!!

I'm kinda conflicted about this sort of thing. Despite the fact that I have really huge issues with too much government in my life, kids can't choose whether or not they get in the car. BUT - What's next? You won't be allowed to smoke in your own home? Eating too much fast food is bad for kids too. Will we make laws against that? Where do you draw the line between protecting others and privacy?

I'm in NY and they are now trying to put a tax on sugared drinks because they say they contribute to childhood obesity which increases health care costs. And now I hear they are also wanting to tax gym memberships. Maybe it's me but uhm, I just don't get the logic there.

I feel the same way about many of these sorts of laws - seat belts, no cell phones, etc. There's good and bad in them. As of late I've even had to show the tanning booth folks my eye protection before they will turn the bed on - which is odd because they don't make me show them my sunscreen. I figure the plastics lobby must be behind that one.

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Permalink Reply by minnemom on February 17, 2009 at 7:02pm

They're considering a similar law here in Minnesota. My only complaint is that it's a secondary offense, so the parent/driver/adult has to be doing something else illegal or dangerous first.

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Permalink Reply by Brandie Weikle on February 17, 2009 at 7:18pm

The situation with the 15-yr-old smoker is definitely a little amusing, at least because it shows that no law is perfect and there is no tidy legislative solution for this sort of thing.

I get the libertarian concern about policing inside vehicles. I blogged about this when the law came into effect. I think the main idea is that this sort of thing shifts our thinking about what is acceptable. For instance, most would be shocked at the notion of having kids unbuckled in cars, though it was really common when we were young. Sadly, I'd like to think we all knew better than to smoke in a tiny space with kids but that's not the case.

http://thestar.blogs.com/parentcentral/2009/01/smoking-with-kids-in...


Dale_Kelley said:

I think that's kinda funny actually!!!

I'm kinda conflicted about this sort of thing. Despite the fact that I have really huge issues with too much government in my life, kids can't choose whether or not they get in the car. BUT - What's next? You won't be allowed to smoke in your own home? Eating too much fast food is bad for kids too. Will we make laws against that? Where do you draw the line between protecting others and privacy?

I'm in NY and they are now trying to put a tax on sugared drinks because they say they contribute to childhood obesity which increases health care costs. And now I hear they are also wanting to tax gym memberships. Maybe it's me but uhm, I just don't get the logic there.

I feel the same way about many of these sorts of laws - seat belts, no cell phones, etc. There's good and bad in them. As of late I've even had to show the tanning booth folks my eye protection before they will turn the bed on - which is odd because they don't make me show them my sunscreen. I figure the plastics lobby must be behind that one.

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