State senator pushes for smoking ban while kids are in cars
SALEM, Ore. - A bill aimed at banning smoking while kids are in a vehicle found support and expansion Thursday in Salem.
Oregon State Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward of Beaverton is backing the bill, known as Senate Bill 444.
Apart from being a state senator, Hayward is a family physician at Oregon Health & Science University and serves as the President of the Oregon Academy of Family Physicians, according to her Oregon Legislature biography. She is also the Director of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Breast Health Education Program.
"Children are more affected by secondhand smoke, their bodies are still developing and they become more at risk for severe respiratory diseases," Hayward said. "They really don't have a choice often about where they are - certainly when they're in a car, they have no choice about that. They can't get themselves places."
If passed, police could not pull a vehicle over simply for someone smoking inside while children are riding along.
However, if an officer concludes that's the case while a driver is pulled over for another reason, the initial ticket and fine would be $250. A repeat offense would be $500 and a third violation would carry a $1,000 fine.
On Thursday, a senate committee reviewed the bill and expanded it to include all products that generate smoke in a vehicle, including such things as cigars and clove cigarettes. There are also no exceptions, such as drivers saying they had their window down while smoking.
No one was present Thursday to speak out against the bill but those opposed are expected to argue that a vehicle is a person's private and personal space.
"It increases the severity of asthma bronchitis, pneumonia, ear infections and other infectious diseases," Hayward said.
If passed, Oregon would not be the first place to enact such a ban.
"In Britain, for example, where they instituted smoke-free laws of various kinds, the more of those that there are, there's a drop in kids hospitalized for asthma attacks," Hayward said.
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Btw, I've lost family members to lung cancer. It's a very slow and painful way to die. And it's horrible to watch someone you love die like that. I just don't see how people can do that to their loved ones. Especially w/all the information out these days.
It's about time! Children need a voice! Shame on everyone who smokes in their car w/their children in it! I think it's a good enough reason to get CPS involved. Plain and simple. If you wanna kill yourself, that's your right, but don't kill your children too.
No laws in my car please. There are enough already.
As they should I believe! You my choose to hurt your health but your kids aren't given that in this situation.
Yes it should be illegal. If someone is going to have a child they should take the responsibility to take care of that child. Second hand smoke is worse than smoking. To subject your children to your addictions is not only harmful but it is abusive!
I take that back, the parents wouldn't heed the law anyway!
Yes, if the parents arnt going to protect their kids, then a law has to do it!!
No way! It should be mandatory for the children to wear respirators while the parents smoke !!! REALLY!!!!!?? There are sooooo many laws now days and we keep adding more as time goes on. Any freedom we have left is slipping away for each new law that we add. Our children will grow up with these new laws and not know any better. Eventually our freedom will be a thing of the past and we will no longer live in the "land of the free".. If we could just bring back the good ole family suppers together and a good butt spanking when needed maybe the good morals and respect for our parents and elders may change some of the good ole common sense issues.
kids need to be protected. if it takes a law to do it then - YES WE NEED A LAW.
Let kids choose when they are old enough to smoke, parents should not choose for their kids to smoke
If we want to smoke inside our car then lets. Another stupid law is not gonna stop the ignorant parent from being ignorant.
Whatever happened to the free country I used to know and love. Now a days one cant say anything or do anything because its not politically correct or it bugs soneone. I say screw this damn paternalistic environment we are facing and lets fight back for our freedom..
yes
Unfortunately they do not use common sense. I am nearly 70, I spent my entire youth (and some after that) riding with smokers. Will I be one of those who die of lung cancer and didn't even TRY smoking? I sure did enhale.
Why do we need another law ? Doesn't anyone use common sense ?
This is already a law in Oregon
It sad that it would NEED to be a law.
legal or illegal - i think you should just care enough for your children's health and well being to NOT smoke around them.
You should know better anyway, but quite tell us what to do with OUR lives!!!
Damn Facebook and its habit of telling on me whenever I comment on stuff
Joey pick another battle
YAY! I almost died when I was a kid riding around in cars with smoking relatives. I would try not to even breathe. Not my mother, who also smoked and it finally killed her, it was those great aunts, a bunch of smoking old ladies. Riding with them was like being in pea-soup fog. It actually hurt to breathe.
I totally agree and I'm a smoker. I do not.smoke around my kids at all that is horrible u r killing them when u do and those r ur children their health should mean everything to u . I think it should be illigal completly and have bad consequences if u do.get.caught doing it not just a slap on the hand ether
I think it should be considered a form of neglect or abuse. The kids don't have a choice, and it's harmful to them. Early development is when people are most susceptible to most forms of illness.
That law has been passed in California for several years......
I know you all will miss me but I must go to work now I'm going to pick my daughter up from school and buy a pack of smokes just so I can smoke with her in the car before its against the law for me to do so. I recommend you all jump on your trampolines with your kids one last time before you lose the freedom to make that decision in your life I'm trying to get it on the ballet to outlaw trampolines if you have kids it's just too dangerous and unhealthy
My child is in school I'm letting the government be her parent :)
Full circle Andrea, full circle.
Especially when they're trying to drive and smoke and yell at their kids at the same time. Facebook just makes all those things more difficult.
Too many parents are on facebook when they should be parenting! This is bad for the children!
Oh no Chris, you had to go there!
Let's ban Facebook.
I say we ban Joey Sorenson for being the most annoying Facebook user of all time.
yes!!!
...and czars.
Let's ban cars and cigars.
I agree with Greg..Bad spelling should be a 30 days with bubba in the clink.
Oh man! Maybe they should just ban children from riding in cars.
You smokers with kids just dont get it do you?? lol I say take the kids away from smokers..ITS called abuse.A kid on a swing set doesnt affect anybody but the kid.The smoker affects everyone around him.This isnt rocket science people.
Oh and let's ban single moms driving with children I always see them not paying attention when driving turning around talking to them not paying attention to the road. Plus it's proven to be way more distracting then using a cellphone while driving ! Only an idiot would drive with children in the car we need laws banning single moms with children in the car.
I'm a smoker and I say yes.
While we are at it lets ban I phones too it makes me misspell things :)
We Shoukd Gregory
Let's give the government more power to controle us and regulate us if it only saves one child it's worth it. For too long now children have got hurt on swingsets and trampolines I propose we make it illegal to have a swingset or trampoline if you have children Only idiots have tranplings and swing sets around children. Ban the swingset ban the trampoline it needs to be illegal people need help to do the right thing with laws and fines
We should make bad spelling illegal also!
Yes nick let's take away people's rights in the name of Saftey I think it's dangerous for you to push a child on a swingset without a government approved swing set helmet
Someone said here its a pain not to smoke with their kids in the car.I rest my case about stupid folkes having kids.Yikes..lol
Yep! Make it all illegal!!
Perhaps only an idiot would smoke in a car with a child in it but it's still not the governments job to regulate idiocy. I think people are idiots who give their children coffee Should we make that illegal too?
Yes it should be illegal.Alot of parents have kids but could care less about them.Stupid people having kids..Lets crack down on this one.