New ban on smoking in vehicles with children comes into force today

Smokers in Northamptonshire are being warned that new Government laws come into force today which make it illegal to smoke in vehicles with children present.

The new law is designed to help protect children from the dangers of secondhand smoke. Under the ban both the driver and the smoker can be fined £50 if anyone smokes in a vehicle with a person who is under 18.

A recent survey revealed that ending smoking in cars with children is supported by 83 per cent of adults from East Midlands households with children.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer said: “This legislation is a landmark in protecting our children from secondhand smoke. Smoking just a single cigarette in a vehicle exposes children to high levels of air pollutants and cancer-causing chemicals like arsenic, formaldehyde and tar, and people often wrongly assume that opening a window, or letting in fresh air, will lessen the damage.

“I hope that all smokers, but particularly drivers and parents, will use the change in law as an opportunity to take the first steps towards quitting. With the laws coinciding with the start of Stoptober, there is no better time to quit and take advantage of the free support on offer.”