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Legal smoking ban in the car when the children are there
Smoking endangers not only one's own health but also the health of others. In many countries, non-smokers are protected from the dangers of smoke by smoking bans. In the UK it will soon be no longer allowed to smoke while driving - at least not when children are on board.
Hundreds of thousands dead by passive smoking
Smoking not only harms one's own health, but is also dangerous for others. Passive smoking kills 600,000 people annually, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported years ago. For example, studies have shown that the passive smoke primarily causes heart diseases such as heart attacks, respiratory diseases such as asthma and lung cancer. A new study has now also pointed to an increased stroke risk from passive smoking.
Smoking at the wheel when children are there? Soon banned in England. Image: aerogondo - fotolia The smoking bans introduced in several countries have reduced the incidence and death of smokers and non-smokers, according to experts. In the UK, another step is now being taken. There is from 1 October 2015, the smoke in the car is prohibited - at least if minors ride.
Smoking bans for motorists
In countries such as Australia, Greece, Canada or the United States, certain smoking bans are already in place for motorists. Other nations such as France, Italy and Poland are working on laws that prohibit or restrict smoking in vehicles. And in England this step was dared. A law was passed, which prohibits smoking in the vehicle from October, when passengers under 18 years are there. Converted around 70 euros should be the penalty for non-compliance. Only in the convertible may be further smoke.
High particulate matter pollution in smoker cars
The British law is said to have been based on several studies that indicate that children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to secondhand smoke. Or studies that show that the particulate matter in a smoker car is particularly high. For example, researchers at the University of Aberdeen have measured loads "of an average of 85 micrograms per cubic meter". In exceptional cases, the values were even 440 micrograms. The WHO recommends that "25 micrograms per cubic meter should not be exceeded".
Smoke-free society until 2040
In England, on the way to becoming a smoke-free society, you are already a little bit further away than in other countries. Last year, the British Medical Association (BMA) called for a ban on smoking from one generation onwards. In their initiative, the doctors suggested that people born after 2000 should not be allowed to buy cigarettes. Meanwhile, international experts even consider a worldwide ban on smoking from the year 2040 possible. Measures like the new law from the UK can certainly do its part.
Does the smoking ban for motorists in Germany?
In Germany, no such initiatives have been announced so far. However, it would welcome health experts, if in future would be prohibited in Germany, the smoke in the car. "We support this regulation and are convinced that one should also think about such a law in Germany," said Klaus Riddering, press spokesman of the German Childhood Cancer Foundation. In particular, children in the developmental stage should not be exposed to these harmful substances.
"We need clearer anti-smoking laws in Germany and that also applies to smoking in the car. Although it is a curtailment of liberal rights, I, as a doctor, am in favor of this restriction in favor of better human health, "said Andreas Stang, a professor at the Essen University Hospital in the field of cancer epidemiology. He added, "Children are often more fat today than they used to be, and if they are exposed to secondhand smoke, health damage is more likely to occur." (Ad)