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| MSP wants ban on smoking in cars carrying children | MSP wants ban on smoking in cars carrying children |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| A bid to make smoking in vehicles when children are present illegal is being launched by an MSP. | A bid to make smoking in vehicles when children are present illegal is being launched by an MSP. |
| South of Scotland Liberal Democrat MSP Jim Hume wants to introduce a members bills at the Scottish Parliament which would bring in a ban. | South of Scotland Liberal Democrat MSP Jim Hume wants to introduce a members bills at the Scottish Parliament which would bring in a ban. |
| He is opening a public consultation on his proposals which he says would safeguard the rights of children. | He is opening a public consultation on his proposals which he says would safeguard the rights of children. |
| Several health organisations back the ban, but a smokers' campaign group said the law would be unenforceable. | |
| The proposed ban is being supported by ASH Scotland and the British Lung Foundation. | |
| The British Lung Foundation had previously urged Scottish politicians to do more to stop people smoking in cars when children are passengers. | |
| In 2011, a Scottish study suggested air quality inside a smoker's car was comparable to industrial smog in cities such as Beijing or Moscow - even when the driver had windows open. | In 2011, a Scottish study suggested air quality inside a smoker's car was comparable to industrial smog in cities such as Beijing or Moscow - even when the driver had windows open. |
| Speaking ahead of the launch of his consultation, Mr Hume said: "Passive smoking is entirely avoidable and a private vehicle is one of the few places a child can still be legally exposed to tobacco smoke. | Speaking ahead of the launch of his consultation, Mr Hume said: "Passive smoking is entirely avoidable and a private vehicle is one of the few places a child can still be legally exposed to tobacco smoke. |
| "I want to change this so that we can better safeguard the rights of children in Scotland and give them the healthiest start in life. | "I want to change this so that we can better safeguard the rights of children in Scotland and give them the healthiest start in life. |
| "I'll be making that case to MSPs today when I launch the consultation, but I hope that people and organisations from across Scotland will have their say. | "I'll be making that case to MSPs today when I launch the consultation, but I hope that people and organisations from across Scotland will have their say. |
| "Countries such as Canada, Australia and some states in the USA have already taken this step. I know that attitudes to smoking have changed dramatically even over the past ten years, but if this can improve a single child's health I think it is a step we need to take." | "Countries such as Canada, Australia and some states in the USA have already taken this step. I know that attitudes to smoking have changed dramatically even over the past ten years, but if this can improve a single child's health I think it is a step we need to take." |
| The consultation will run until August after which Mr Hume must get cross-party support to take the proposals further. | |
| However, campaigners criticised the proposed bill. | |
| Simon Clark, director of the smokers' group Forest, said: "We don't encourage adults to smoke in cars carrying children but legislation is disproportionate to the problem. | |
| "Most smokers are sensible enough to know that lighting up in a car with children is inconsiderate at best and research suggests that only a tiny minority still do it. | |
| "Education has to be better than yet another law that would be very difficult to enforce." | |
| He added: "A ban on smoking in private vehicles would represent a major intrusion into people's private lives. What next, a ban on smoking in the home if children are present?" |