Driven out: Smoking ban extended to in cars carrying children

The law, blasted as ‘the first time the Government dictated on smoking in people’s own private spaces’ will take effect on 1 October.

17:51 12 February 2015

Starting from October, smoking will be banned in cars carrying children. The law, which aimed to save about 400,000 children from being exposed to second-hand smoke, was approved after it saw 342 MPs vote in favour with just 74 against.

"The passing of regulations to make smoking in cars carrying under-18s illegal is a significant victory for protecting children's health from second-hand smoke," said Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies.

"Smoking just a single cigarette in a car exposes children to high levels of air pollutants and cancer-causing chemicals like arsenic, formaldehyde and tar."

Violators could face a £50 fine.

Meanwhile, the British Lung Foundation urged the Government to do more. The group’s chief executive, Dr Penny Woods, said: "We urge the Government to show the same commitment to introduce standardised packaging for all tobacco products, in order to protect the 200,000 children taking up smoking every year in this country."

However, Simon Clark, the head of Forest, which campaigns for the right to smoke, firmly disagrees with the new law.

He said: "The overwhelming majority of smokers know it's inconsiderate to smoke in a car with children present and they don't do it.”

"They don't need the state micro-managing their lives. This is gesture politics and a worrying development.

"For the first time the Government is dictating whether people can smoke in their own private space."