Smokefree cars

There's been much debate in the media about whether smoking in cars while driving should be banned - or at least when driving, or when there are children, or passengers generally, in the car. South Australia and Tasmania have put this into effect; NSW has legislated for it; and Queensland has proposed it.

The three main issues to consider are HEALTH HARM, ROAD SAFETY, and FIRE CAUSATION. 

See ASH factsheet  Cars with kids should be smokefree

See  World roundup 

See major issues in  Protecting children from tobacco

NEWS:  

Queensland protects children from smoke in cars
30/10/09: Cars carrying children under 16 will be smokefree by law from January 1, 2010 - and the state government will support local councils making shopping centres and bus stops smokefree.  See  Brisbane Times report 30/10/09    See  Queensland tobacco laws

WA tobacco bill passes both houses       
See  WA bill and explanation  under T:  "Tobacco...2008"

17/9/09:  A major bill to reform Western Australia's smokefree and anti-tobacco promotion laws has passed both houses of parliament and awaits royal assent. The Private Members' Bill proposed by independent MP Dr Janet Woollard will protect children, employees and public health by:

• Ending tobacco display in shops;

• Making cars carrying children under 17 smokefree;

• Making children's playgrounds and patrolled beaches smokefree;

• Making unlicensed al fresco dining areas, and 50% of licensed al frescoes, smokefree; and

• Strengthening rights of employees to refuse to work in smoking areas.

Victorian child protection law proclaimed
18/8/09:  Legislation to end shop display of tobacco and make cars carrying children smokefree has been proclaimed after passage by the Victorian parliament. The Tobacco Amendment (Protection of Children) Act 2009 will put all tobacco products out of sight in shops from Jan 2011; make cars carrying children under 18 smokefree from Jan 2010; and end sales of cigarettes from temporary outlets - e.g. race days, music festivals; and ban tobacco products targeting young people.   See  the bill at introduction    See  Victorian government strategy

Liberals' Abbott told: protecting children from smoke not "trivial"
2/7/09: the Protecting Children from Tobacco coalition has expressed strong concern over remarks by Federal Opposition frontbencher Tony Abbott that laws to protect children from secondhand smoke in cars are "trivial". PCFT has asked for clarification and reassurance by Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull that the views are not shared by the party's leaders.  See  PCFT coalition media release 2/7/09  and  ABC report of Abbott remarks 

NSW law to protect children takes effect 
1/7/09: New laws have come into effect making cars carrying children under 16 smokefree. See NSW Cancer Minister release with Protecting Children from Tobacco coalition 1/7/09    See  NSW Tobacco Bill   and more  info for retailers and consumers   These reforms have weathered an aggressive tobacco industry scare campaign:  see earlier ASH release 21/7/08  and  Philip Morris scares retailers - and the truth about their arguments        

ACT consider submissions on protecting kids from smoke in cars
27/2/09:  Public submissions have ended into an ACT review of options for protecting children from secondhand smoke in cars. Options proposed include making cars carrying children smokefree by law, extending this to cars carrying any passengers, and banning smoking while driving. See  Minister's release 2/2/09 and how to make submission   See  ASH submission    Protecting Children from Tobacco coalition submission 

US state makes child-carrying cars smokefree
11/4/08: Another US state has enacted legislation to mandate smokefree cars carrying children. The Governor of Maine has signed a new law banning smoking in cars carrying children under 16. The new law will take effect within four months, bringing to three the number of US states passing such a law.  See  Bangor (Maine) News report 11/4/08  

Study shows smoking in cars hazardous to health
20/3/08: A new study confirms that smoking in a car presents a serious health risk to occupants, especially children - and ventilation does not remove the hazard. The Canadian study from the University of Waterloo measured secondhand smoke levels after one cigarette was smoked in 18 different cars - and found the worst examples were more hazardous than indoor-smoky bars.    See  Canada TV report      See  full study

World moves on smokefree cars carrying kids
29/8/07: Bans on smoking in cars carrying children have been enacted in Puerto Rico, two US states and 3 US municipalities, and one Australian state with more under consideration. See  worldwide update from Canadian Cancer Society 29/8/07      SEE ABOVE 11/4/08: 3rd US state passes law

Tas bans smoking in cars carrying children
1/3/07: The Tasmanian government has announced it will ban smoking in cars carrying children. Church and health groups have welcomed the move. See  ASH media release 1/3/07   

SA to make cars with children smokefree
16/11/06: The South Australian government has introduced legislation to make cars with children smokefree from May 31 2007. Drivers in SA will face on-the-spot fines if caught driving with people under 16 in the car.   See  The Australian 16/11/06   

HEALTH HARM 

Recent studies have established that levels of exposure to secondhand smoke inside cars are significant, enough to cause serious health harm - especially to children.  See for example: Sendzik et al (March 2008)  Canada TV report  and  full study;  also Edwards R et al (Oct 2006), "Highly Hazardous Air Quality Associated with Smoking in Cars..." in  New Zealand Medical Journal  119(1244);  also Rees V and Connolly G (2006) "Measuring Air Quality..." in Amer J Preventative Medicine XX(x) doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2006.07.021 

... and addiction?

July 2008: A survey of almost 1500 children aged 10-12 in Addictive Behaviors journal has found secondhand smoke exposure in cars may be linked with nicotine dependence symptoms. The authors suggest hat "If replicated, this finding provides support for interventions that promote non-smoking in motor vehicles."  See  study preview  

There's a mountain of research on the harm caused to other people by secondhand smoke - see the studies at SmokeFree Australia for starters.  There is also much research on secondhand smoke harm to children - see information for parents under Passive Smoke Harms Kids. 

You can simulate exposure to secondhand smoke in various types of cars under various conditions at the US site simsmoke.  

ROAD SAFETY

Research shows smoking while driving is clearly a danger - and more serious than other distractions like mobile phones or eating, since smoking involves the risk of dropping burning matter into your lap!

Recent studies on smoking and car safety were reviewed by Monash University Accident Research Centre in November 2003. See p. 18 of  Monash review Nov 2003

See also the study by Wen C et al  in Tobacco Control (2005) showing smoking almost doubles car death risk.   See full study    

FIRE CAUSATION

There's also evidence that many fires are started from lit cigarettes being thrown from car windows. See for example, Chapman S and Balmain A, "Time to legislate for fire-safe cigarettes in Australia" in MJA 2004; 181(6):292-293 or in  mja online. The NSW Fire Service estimates around 4% of all cigarettes thrown from car windows start some kind of fire. Cigarettes can also cause fires inside cars - sometimes with fatal results.

Back to  ASH Action: Smokefree places

Page last updated 27/1/10