Okotoks ponders no smoking in car with kids
From CTV.ca
Quote:
Okotoks could be the first Alberta community to ban smoking in vehicles carrying children. If a proposed bylaw passes it would mean drivers who smoke with anyone under sixteen in the vehicle could be fined.
Town councillor Stephen Clark is making the motion and he says it’s a serious health hazard for children, especially infants. Clark says "they are developing, they breath at a faster rate than adults, as I say the smoke concentration in vehicles are quite high, so it's a legitimate concern, you also say common sense, well its not that common, statistics show that one in five smokers smoke in a vehicle when their children are present".
Not all members of the town council think Okotoks is the place to start with such a smoking ban. The Mayor of Okotoks Bill McAlpine says Clark's motion may become law however enforcing it could prove difficult.
The Okotoks initiative is not the first of its kind. Nova Scotia passed similar legislation in December and Ontario has also is also considering such a ban.
So far the Alberta government has rejected the idea. Clark says it's not unusual for communities to get the ball rolling.
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For the record, I am an ex-smoker and I love the no smoking in pub and restaurants. I still enjoy the occasional cigar and sometimes I have one with my g/f's little brother in the car. Only in nice weather, and only with the window wide open with the cigar and my breath going outside.
I think this is too far. So you would get pulled over and they would ID your passenger?? What is next? Not allowing people to smoke in their own house? Why not take more steps to stop the 12-16 years olds that are smoking? I just find this quite ######ed. I know there will be the 'Won't someone PLEASE think of the children' argument but how much do we have to infringe on peoples rights in their own space??