ASH Wales welcomes today’s Welsh Government announcement to prohibit smoking in cars with children in Wales, the ban will come into force from October 2015.
In Wales, 15% of children aged 10 and 11 (and 32% of children of smokers) are exposed to second-hand smoke in family cars. Legislation is likely to significantly reduce the levels of exposure; when seatbelt laws were introduced in 1983 compliance rates jumped from 25% to over 90%.
There is already widespread public support for smokefree cars when children are present. A poll conducted in March by YouGov for ASH Wales found that 79% of Welsh adults, including 66% of smokers, agreed that smoking should be prohibited in cars that are carrying children younger than 18 years of age.
“We are pleased to see the Welsh Government pressing ahead with regulations to prohibit smoking in cars when children are present. As with the smokefree public places law, this is a popular measure that will largely be self-enforcing.
“Together with the forthcoming regulations on standardised packaging these regulations will help to de-normalise smoking and discourage children from taking up the deadly habit.”
Welsh Government Release: Smoking in cars carrying children to be banned in Wales from October, Health Minister announces
To find out more about smokefree cars, visit our topic page here.
By ASH Wales