Laws making it illegal to smoke while driving if children in car

See, now that is what I say makes sense and supports the basis behind my opinion. If someone wants to be a smoker, then fine, but considering all the facts about the health hazards of smoking, be RESPONSIBLE for what you are doing and take into account that not EVERYONE likes your smoke.

 

As an ex-smoker myself, I never smoked with my kids (or anyone else's) in the car. The reason being that my dad did it to me and made me crave cigarettes at a very early age.

I think it's child abuse. Smelling my dad's cigarettes when I was growing up made it a smell that I craved. Even at 6 years old, I loved the aroma of when he first lit up a Marlboro Red. Exposing children to an addictive chemical against their better-knowing should be considered neglect and/or abuse in my opinion.

 

Could the parents potentialy be more dangerous because they aren't getting their "fix"? If the window is open I don't see too much harm in it. A majority of us probably grew up around smokers and somehow survived. Like another poster mentioned, what about staying in the sun too long? Or eating too many sweets? Where does the government interference stop? I'm too lazy to check but I'm confident that more children suffer from health related issues due to diet than second hand smoke.

 

If you insist I'll stick around. I love debating also. But I know TW sometimes doesn't like these debates. Shame, makes for a better forum IMO instead of the politically correct can't offend anyone stance. But their playground their rules.

As for children buying cigarettes, I currently have no problem with it but I will say I am currently reevaluating my opinion on a lot of laws with a emphasis on individual freedom. 18 and older can vote and serve in the military therefore they should enjoy all the benefits/pleasures AND responsibilities of being an adult.

The principle is good, but like everything else the gov does the execution is horrible and I don't want another law turning out like DWI laws. What I don't get is there are already laws against child endangerment and injury to a child. I don't support laws that are based on preventing people from doing something already illegal. If a person is smoking around their children enough to cause health issues there are already laws that can apply. We don't need more laws. We're already past the point to where laws are more complicated than common sense.

As for protecting kids from second hand smoke, I'd clean up all the crap out of cigarets. People use to grow their own tobacco and never had half the problems smokers have now. I don't personally smoke but IF I could get my own tobacco leaves and know/trust exactly what's going into a smoke I might try it. Why is nobody pressuring the companies to make a safer, all natural, cigarette instead of the crap they make now? You can't tell me that wouldn't be a healthier second hand smoke. But then it's not as addictive which could cut profits.

That's a BIG brush that doesn't happen to every child exposed to second hand smoke so why do we need a blanket law restricting individual freedom. Don't say for the kids. DWI was sold to us on that and it's turned into nothing but a tax and clusterfawk on people who "may" hurt someone, or victimless crime.

 

The problem with this is that the children being subjected to the smoke are not the ones "of legal age" who are "accepting the consequences" of doing so.

You can make the argument that subjecting a child to secondhand smoke is just as detrimental to their mental and physical development as an abusive or negligent parent. (You can also make the argument that parents who smoke around their kids are either/both)

I find it delightfully hypocritical that that majority of people who complain about the amount of idiots in the world are generally the ones who support the rights of others to cultivate more idiots.*



*not saying you are a hypocrite - just using the subject matter to paint a larger picture.

 

Shrug. Broad strokes or not, it's not a hypothetical problem.
As for DWI being a victimless crime, that's a big steaming pile of horse manure.
Roughly 1/3 of the vehicle deaths in the US every year are because of drunk driving. Not everybody who was killed was the drunk a-hole behind the wheel.

If you want to call it a tax, call it a 'stupid tax' because anybody who gets behind the wheel when they're drunk is an idiot.

 

NO!
It another chip at our freedoms
It gives the government a foothold in outlawing other things people enjoy.
Whats next, no radio while driving, no cheese on your burger, that salsa's too hot you can't have it.
F the nanny state!

 

And that's exactly the issue here. We know it's not good to expose kids to it because as adults we are responsible for their health and well-being.

But, policing people about this is definitely an issue. He's right here...

 

So you're saying that your freedom to smoke whenever you want trumps a child in your vehicle's freedom to have a healthy life?

 

Smart people get dui's. Drinking distorts your judgement. The only way around that is to put blow tubes on all vehicles ignition system that will prevent engine from starting if alcohol is detected. They have some issues with these though that need to be ironed out before putting them on all vehicles.

 

*breaking

 

People just use their kids to start their car. I've seen this happen a few times.

 

I thought there was a camera that recorded you to prevent that.

 

The slippery slope fallacy. The idea that if you pass any laws then all following laws will be ridiculous, ignoring the possibility of a middle ground.

Drinking and driving is stupid. Just because they're intelligent in their normal everyday life doesn't mean they don't turn into an idiot and do stupid things when they're drinking.
I don't support mandating breathalyzer's in everybody's car, but I do support drunk driving remaining illegal and people who choose to do it being heavily fined when they're caught.

But, back to smoking in cars around kids:
I support people's rights to do what they want, as long as they're not harming or posing a risk to the safety of others. I'd lump smoking in the car while the kids are in it into that category.

 

Maybe that's new.. Saw a guy 2 years ago get into his car and had his kid do the breathalyzer to start it. I called the cops on the guy but it did start and he did leave the parking lot.

 

there is no middle ground anymore.....either pc all the way or dragged into court.

 

No not a dick but an ASSHOLE.

I don't smoke in my home or anyone else's or my truck or car. But I do think people that are outdoors and complain about people smoking have some real issues that need to dealt with and if that is me so be it.

Like this guy talking about the smoke coming from someone car and going into to his. Like this happens at every light and everyday. Now just how many paid any attention to what he said. Just think about it for a sec. I figure his chances of get hit by lighting is better.

 

Just because there isn't a law saying that you shouldn't doesn't mean you should. I don't like people smoking in the car with their kids and it irritates me that something like this has to be made a law. Am I against it being law a law? No, but I prefer that it not need to be a law.

Since we now know cigarette smoke is harmful to children, why legislate? Just arrest them and charge them with child endangerment.

 

The middle ground fallacy. The idea that if you give the government ever increasing power, they will at some point become satiated and stop seeking more, ignoring the overwhelming historical evidence to the contrary.

 

I posted earlier. Not if favor of the law, but I understand the morals of it. Let me ask this: Do you feel that it should be illegal to smoke inside your house while there are kids inside? Kids spend a lot more time in the house than the car, so there is more exposure. I think the two are tied.