Fines for smoking in cars with children?

Friday 30 May 2014

Smoking in cars carrying children aged under 18 would be made illegal under a new law proposed today by the Health Minister.

The law follows a survey earlier this year which showed that almost eight out of ten Islanders, including the majority of smokers, said they would support a law in Jersey to stop people puffing away in cars carrying children under 18.

The new law will be debated by 14 July but the department are hoping to bring it into force next year.

In the report accompanying the proposition, the minister wrote: “Despite education and media campaigns regarding the known harms of exposure to second-hand smoke, children are still exposed to the harmful effects.

“In England 430,000 children aged between 11-15 years of age are exposed to second-hand smoke in the family car each week and in the UK passive smoking in children is estimated to cause the NHS £23 million per year. Locally we know that around 160 babies each year are identified as being at risk of exposure to second-hand smoke at their six-week check.”

When the survey results were announced earlier this year, the Island’s top public health official said that they should be able to make the change quickly to protect young people from passive smoking.

Dr Susan Turnbull, Medical Officer of Health said: “I was pleased at the consistent results from the 2013 consultation, together with those from the Jersey Annual Social Survey, pointing to what the people of Jersey, including smokers, expect to be done to protect children who may still be exposed to toxic levels of smoke in cars.”