There is widespread support for a ban on smoking in cars with children, both among the public and parliamentarians. A poll conducted in March by YouGov for ASH found that 77% of adults agreed that smoking should be banned in cars that are carrying children younger than 18 years of age.
Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said: "Cars are small tin boxes where concentrations of tobacco smoke can reach dangerous levels very quickly. As David Cameron himself has said, the time has come for it to be illegal to make children breathe in these toxic fumes. Laws stopping smoking in cars with children are popular with the public, with parliament and with children and we urge the government to bring them into force before the next election."
Further reading: National campaign highlights the true dangers of secondhand smoke
In Parliament, the measure was approved by a vote of 376 to 107, a majority of 269 – much stronger support than that for the 2007 smokefree public places law.
The Children and Families Act gave the Government the power to bring in regulations governing smoking in cars with children present.
For more information visit www.ash.org.uk