Alberta bans smoking in cars with minors present.

[Bobblehead]

Seatbelt laws, motorcycle helmet laws, there are far more egregious law that affect personal liberty far more. If you want to fight those battles you have many more justifiable causes than this one.

[Locke]

I dont particularly care about kids or smokers, but that being said it would be interesting to know how much it costs to enact and enforce silly legislation like this.

And yes, I understand that its all about protecting a defenseless third party, but last time I checked, the primary people responsible for protecting their children are those children's parents, if they're not interested or are unwilling, then I see little point in attempting to legislate proper parenting into them.

Hey, if smokers want to endanger their own kids then power to them. They got to this point by their own decision making process, what they do from here on out is up to them.

[Fire]

I'm against a nanny state but this law makes sense because it's protecting people that have no choice being stuck with crappy parents.

The problem with this law and other similar laws (distracted driving law, speeding, etc) is that 99.99% of the time you get away with it, so the law does not motivate anyone from changing their behavior.

[Knalus]

So, I could be fined for smoking in a car with someone who is under 18, what if they are smoking too?

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Knalus

So, I could be fined for smoking in a car with someone who is under 18, what if they are smoking too?

And what if you're 18 but your friends are 17? Can you get ticketed for smoking around them then? Doesn't that seem silly? Two grade 12 kids out on a Friday night and lighting a smoke with your underage buddy in the car gets you a ticket? Unlike someone's child that person is riding in your car under their own free will.

Furthermore, why only cars? I would think that makes up a small portion of their lives. Why not in the home as well?

[GP_Matt]

In Alberta they would also be fined as it is illegal to smoke if you are under age.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Knalus

So, I could be fined for smoking in a car with someone who is under 18, what if they are smoking too?

They would be subject to a fine of not more than $100 under the Prevention of Youth Tobacco Use Act.

http://www.qp.alberta.ca/574.cfm?pag...cln=0779731654

[Knalus]

So I'm supposed to not smoke in a car that has underage smokers in it, in order to protect them from the dangers of second hand smoke?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Knalus

So I'm supposed to not smoke in a car that has underage smokers in it, in order to protect them from the dangers of second hand smoke?

Yes, and they aren't supposed to be smoking in the first place as it is illegal. I'm not sure where the confusion lies.

[Knalus]

Originally Posted by valo403

They would be subject to a fine of not more than $100 under the Prevention of Youth Tobacco Use Act.

http://www.qp.alberta.ca/574.cfm?pag...cln=0779731654

So.... what you are saying is if caught, give the cigarette to the kid??? That sounds like they've put people in a spot where it's easy to be ethical now. No grey area to this controlling legislation at all, is there?

[GP_Matt]

We currently allow parents to deny their children the right to life saving blood transfusions and vaccinations. Maybe the smoking should be lumped together with everything that parents do to harm their children and make them criminally responsible.

Alternatively, I wonder if a child could sue their parents for exposing them to cigarette smoke, denying vaccinations or blood transfusions or any number of other things.

[Knalus]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

And what if you're 18 but your friends are 17? Can you get ticketed for smoking around them then? Doesn't that seem silly? Two grade 12 kids out on a Friday night and lighting a smoke with your underage buddy in the car gets you a ticket? Unlike someone's child that person is riding in your car under their own free will.

Furthermore, why only cars? I would think that makes up a small portion of their lives. Why not in the home as well?

Trust me, this isn't the end of this. You know they are going to try to control even more of your life than just this.

[geos]

Originally Posted by Locke

Hey, if smokers want to endanger their own kids then power to them.

The kids have no right to be in a safe environmental away from their parental smokestack?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by geos

The kids have no right to be in a safe environmental away from their parental smokestack?

You going to protect every kid 24/7 from every harmful or neglectful thing their parents are ever going to do?

Good luck.

[Knalus]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

We currently allow parents to deny their children the right to life saving blood transfusions and vaccinations. Maybe the smoking should be lumped together with everything that parents do to harm their children and make them criminally responsible.

Alternatively, I wonder if a child could sue their parents for exposing them to cigarette smoke, denying vaccinations or blood transfusions or any number of other things.

Wait, who said anything about parents? This isn't about parent's, this is about people who are over age, fraternizing with people who are underage.


Everyone's got this idea in their head that the law is only targeting some white-trash mom or dad chain smoking in a vehicle with a gaggle of kids in the back seat choking on the blue smoke that is billowing out of the back seat. Yeah, that would be an unfortunate situation. But that is not what this legislation says. This says merely that a driver caught in a vehicle with under agers can and will be fined $1000 for this act.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Knalus

So.... what you are saying is if caught, give the cigarette to the kid??? That sounds like they've put people in a spot where it's easy to be ethical now. No grey area to this controlling legislation at all, is there?

I suppose if you wanted to face liability for providing tobacco to a minor that would be one way to go about achieving it. I have to say, that is a rather odd goal though.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

We currently allow parents to deny their children the right to life saving blood transfusions and vaccinations. Maybe the smoking should be lumped together with everything that parents do to harm their children and make them criminally responsible.

Alternatively, I wonder if a child could sue their parents for exposing them to cigarette smoke, denying vaccinations or blood transfusions or any number of other things.

You're conveniently forgetting to mention the basis for that, religion. How can you argue for liberty on one hand and then argue for impinging upon freedom of religion on the other? Could it be that things aren't that simple?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Locke

You going to protect every kid 24/7 from every harmful or neglectful thing their parents are ever going to do?

Good luck.

I don't think that's the goal, but where the task can be easily achieved why not?

[geos]

Originally Posted by Locke

You going to protect every kid 24/7 from every harmful or neglectful thing their parents are ever going to do?

Good luck.

That's a logical fallacy. So because we can't do everything, we should do nothing?

There are existing laws against child abuse and neglect, but the hassle of trying an ignorant fool in court for smoking with their kid in the car would be tough. This clarifies the issue with a nice little fine for the loser that thinks it's appropriate to harm their kids.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Lt.Spears

I cant wait until they ban smoking all together.

Do you know how much more in taxes we will pay if they stop selling cigarettes? No thanks, let the smokers stay in their houses and kill themselves.