ASH Australia media release                                       March 19, 2007

Asthma study prompts call for smokefree cars carrying children

Other states should follow SA, Tas: health, child, church groups   

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A national coalition of health, child welfare, church and community organisations* has urged all Australian state and territory governments to ban smoking in cars carrying children - after a new Australian study** showed passive smoking in cars doubles teen asthma risk.

The Tasmanian government this month announced it will introduce legislation to ban smoking in cars carrying children, following South Australian legislation due to come into effect on May 31.

The health coalition – inlcuding the National Asthma Council of Australia - wants other states and territories to follow suit. Says Anne Jones, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health:

“Societies rightly take action to protect their children. The evidence clearly shows that they are particularly vulnerable to illness and diseases caused by exposure to secondhand smoke – such as the serious asthma risk confirmed in this latest study”.

Health groups point to other research findings*  that smoking in cars:

• can expose children to secondhand smoke at very high levels;

• increases the risk of accidents and injury to passengers including children;

• increases the risk of fires both inside and outside cars;  and

• has a higher impact on the most disadvantaged in the community.

“While some have raised policing concerns, we expect the law to be largely self-enforcing - with policing done in an opportunistic way, as it now is for drink driving, seat belts and mobile phone use.

“Several studies show the community strongly supports smokefree cars carrying children – and the large numbers of fines for mobile phone use while driving shows that enforcement concerns should not be a barrier to protecting children from secondhand smoke.”

The health coalition is campaigning to protect children from tobacco with measures including banning retail tobacco displays proven to predispose children towards smoking.

* See list of organisations at  www.ashaust.org.au/lv4/ProtectChildrenEndorsements.htm and evidence at  www.ashaust.org.au/lv3/action_POS.htm

** See study in Medical Journal of Australia at  www.mja.com.au/public/issues/186_06_190307/letters_190307_fm-3.html

Comment:    Anne Jones, CEO, ASH Australia    m. 0417-227-879

Media info:   Stafford Sanders, ASH Australia     ph. (02) 9334-1823;  m. 0412-070-194

Page last updated 19/3/07