Good Smoking Ban?

Okay, now we all know what opinions are like, right?  Well, here’s mine on this issue: this sucks!  We have got to stop legislating common sense.  Should you smoke around children?  In my opinion: no.  However, to have to have government tell you that it’s not alright through legislation?  Well, I think this leads us down a bad path of precedents for other things the government may start telling us…

From the Associated Press…

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California motorists will risk fines of up to $100 next year if they are caught smoking in cars with minors, making their state the third to protect children in vehicles from secondhand smoke.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday signed a bill that will make it an infraction to smoke in a vehicle if someone under age 18 is present. But the traffic stop would have to be made for another offense, such as speeding or an illegal turn, before the driver could be cited for smoking.

The ban, which takes effect Jan. 1, joins a string of smoking prohibitions adopted in California, including a ban on smoking in enclosed workplaces and within 25 feet of a playground.

A Harvard School of Public Health report issued last year said secondhand smoke in cars can be up to 10 times more of a health risk than secondhand smoke in a home.

“Protecting the health of our children is among government’s highest responsibilities,” said the bill’s author, state Sen. Jenny Oropeza, a Democrat. “It is clear that increasing public awareness about the dangers of secondhand smoke is the right thing to do.”

At least 20 states and a number of municipalities have considered limiting smoking in cars where minors are present. Arkansas now bans smoking in cars with children age 6 and younger, while Louisiana has limited it when children 13 and younger are in the vehicle. Maine lawmakers will take up the issue in January.

I’d like to hear what y’all have to say on the issue.

No related posts.

1. 

   tobacmon says:

   October 26, 2007 at 4:03 am

   I say smoking around kids No unless ofcoarse your outside and not near them. This bill really makes m hot to know I’m not only paying for someone else’s kid through welfare but now the government wants me to pay for them by taxing my cigars more because the parents of the child is not taking on HIS/HER’S responcibilty and pay for their own. I think the so called men & women that are having these kids should be held responcible for their actions also. It\’s just wrong for us as Tax Payers to always bail out the people that should be bailing themselves out. Not my job to do so.
2. 

   tobacmon says:

   October 26, 2007 at 4:06 am

   Sorry I wanted to post my feeling towards the SCHIP Veto Upheld! I saw it in the comments and got carried away—