Lawmakers Considering Banning Smoking In Cars

[MJS]

http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/politics/lawmakers-consider-banning-smoking-in-cars-with-kids

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- Should Connecticut ban smoking in cars that contain small children? That's the question state lawmakers will take up later this week in the powerful Transportation Committee.
For nearly eight years, Connecticut law has required all kids under age 7 and under 60 pounds to ride in a strapped down child restraint seat. Infants under one year of age and under 20 pounds must be rear facing in their car seats.
Now state lawmakers are considering adding a ban on smoking in all vehicles containing children in car seats.

State Representative Henry Genga of East Hartford has been pushing for this since 2008, and says the overwhelming medical research favors it.
"Until they're age 7, their immunity systems are not mature," Genga said, "so they require a lot more air than you and I would, multiple times more."
And Genga says that the research debunks the theory that all you have to do is crack some of the windows to make it safe.
"The second hand smoke, with the windows cracked, is greater than the smokey bars that we ban today," Genga said.
Police say it wouldn't be that difficult to enforce as a tandem part of the child restraint law. One mom News 8 spoke with Monday thinks it would be a good education tool.
"I think it would help to raise awareness on the impact that this has on some kids and I think that there's tremendous value in that," LISS said, "and so I would love to see it make some sort of a difference."

And for those that think this is too much interference in personal lives, Genga says it would just be another driving regulation.
"Seat belts, cell phones, child restraint seats and children wearing helmets," Genga said, "this just makes sense, it's common sense, it's the right thing to do."
For first time offenders there would be no fine, just a warning from police.

On Wednesday, the legislature's Transportation Committee will take up this proposal for the first time.

You know, when I heard this on the news yesterday, I just shook my head. I mean, really...these people have nothing better to do, they can't think of more productive things, than this?? So, lets assume this crazy law goes into effect. Ok, are they going to also ban people from smoking in the privacy of their own home with kids inside?

Hey, I don't smoke, never have, never will. I did grow up around smokers. Personally, I can't stand to be in a confined area with people who're smoking. But I just can't see how this law is something that will really make a difference.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

More nannyism. What next? special protective suits for kids mandated?

 

[MJS]

More nannyism. What next? special protective suits for kids mandated?

LOL! I said the same thing to my wife!! Yes, next will be no talking, no listening to the radio..lol.

 

[celtic_crippler]

Ok, are they going to also ban people from smoking in the privacy of their own home with kids inside?

Given time and increased apathy from the people, yes.

Once they have what you put into your body under control, next comes your mind.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

The amount of control being pushed for by the government is appalling. They need to be pushed back, reminded who runs who. Sadly, too many people will continue to say 'whats so bad about that'.

Lets be clear...I HATE smoking, and heavily dislike rude smokers. I was forced to ride cross country with 2 chain smokers from NY to Georgia, and gagged the whole way, eyes burning and lung turning to charcoal.

I oppose this law.

 

[celtic_crippler]

The amount of control being pushed for by the government is appalling. They need to be pushed back, reminded who runs who. Sadly, too many people will continue to say 'whats so bad about that'.

Too many simply don't care. They care when it affects them directly, but are too lazy or apathetic to be proactive in preventing it in the first place. This behavior is evident throughout history... you'd think, collectively, we'd learn from our mistakes. But that's assuming human beings are logical creatures as a whole.

Sadly, people won't react until it's more than the collective can bear and by then it's usually too late to fix anything and we have to start over from scratch on the bodies of our brothers.

Sorry... not feeling very optimistic lately. LOL

 

[MJS]

For the sake of discussion, and also for proving how totally friggin stupid this 'law' is, lets toss this out: Most Minivans and SUVs have factory tinted rear windows. So, mom and dad are both smokers, and are driving down the highway, doing anywhere from 65-75mph. Tell me...how the hell is a cop going to determine A) that the occupants are smoking, B) that there are any kids in the car in the first place, C) that the kids are too young to be in the car while the parents are smoking?

Waste of time, waste of money, waste of brainpower. Jesus...I can't believe these A-Holes have nothing more productive to talk about.

 

[celtic_crippler]

For the sake of discussion, and also for proving how totally friggin stupid this 'law' is, lets toss this out: Most Minivans and SUVs have factory tinted rear windows. So, mom and dad are both smokers, and are driving down the highway, doing anywhere from 65-75mph. Tell me...how the hell is a cop going to determine A) that the occupants are smoking, B) that there are any kids in the car in the first place, C) that the kids are too young to be in the car while the parents are smoking?

Waste of time, waste of money, waste of brainpower. Jesus...I can't believe these A-Holes have nothing more productive to talk about.

Doesn't matter... if they "suspect" the driver or one of the passengers is smoking.

Get it?

 

[billc]

You guys are all wrong...if it saves one life we have to do it...so to enforce this new law we will obviously need to put a recording device in every car...perhaps a camera and microphone in order to really know what is going on inside of every car. Police can't be expected to catch all these criminals (smokers) but a camera in the car recording the driver and passengers is a "common sense," law that will help save lives...

Here is another idea...mandate smoke detectors in all cars. This could be linked to a remote alarm like those car services that respond when you get into an accident. If the smoke alarm goes off, they kill your engine and notify the police...

 

[MJS]

Doesn't matter... if they "suspect" the driver or one of the passengers is smoking.

Get it?

Yup, and that'll be another example of wasted resources. The cops could be doing a hundred more productive things, rather than chasing after the smoking bandits! LOL!

 

[MJS]

You guys are all wrong...if it saves one life we have to do it...so to enforce this new law we will obviously need to put a recording device in every car...perhaps a camera and microphone in order to really know what is going on inside of every car. Police can't be expected to catch all these criminals (smokers) but a camera in the car recording the driver and passengers is a "common sense," law that will help save lives...

Here is another idea...mandate smoke detectors in all cars. This could be linked to a remote alarm like those car services that respond when you get into an accident. If the smoke alarm goes off, they kill your engine and notify the police...

LOL, I assume you're not being serious here. However, as I said earlier, the 'law' only addresses the cars. People could smoke until its coming out of their ears, in their home. Oh wait...I'm sure that'll be the next crazy 'law' these clowns, er, I mean, lawmakers, make.

New Law 13-1500: No person shall have the right to smoke in their own home!

LMFAO!!!!

 

[Bob Hubbard]

You miss the point of law enforcement guys.

That's to collect revenue and generate income streams for small town USA.

So tack on a $100 fine for this, now when cops pull over a speeder, all they have to do is look in the back "young kid, check", check for an ashtray "check" and KACHING! Add on penalty.
Oh, that's $100 to the state, plus the $60 surcharge for his hat, $25 fee for ink used, and now Hazzard PD gets a new prowl car with HD TV.

It's not about the kids. That's the "Sell".

It's about a slimy politician patting himself on the back so he keeps his cushy non-work job, and generating another income stream for the town/county/etc.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

LOL, I assume you're not being serious here. However, as I said earlier, the 'law' only addresses the cars. People could smoke until its coming out of their ears, in their home. Oh wait...I'm sure that'll be the next crazy 'law' these clowns, er, I mean, lawmakers, make.

New Law 13-1500: No person shall have the right to smoke in their own home!

LMFAO!!!!

You do know there are HOA's with that exact policy right?

 

[MJS]

You do know there are HOA's with that exact policy right?

LOL! Really? No, I didn't know that. Jesus Bob, before you know it, we'll need permission to take a **** in our own house.

 

[jks9199]

Yup, and that'll be another example of wasted resources. The cops could be doing a hundred more productive things, rather than chasing after the smoking bandits! LOL!

And probably will be... Let's assume that they make it a primary offense. I'd still not feel comfortable trying to justify a stop because I saw someone smoking, and thought there might be kids in the car? And I've got plenty of better things to do on the clock...

 

[Drasken]

See, I think parents shouldn't smoke with young kids around. However it isn't our government's place to step in and regulate every part of our lives.

Problem is that most people don't care because this would be a small inconvenience at most in their eyes. However, I doubt it'll stop here. Lawmakers will take inch after inch because they know the people would argue with them taking a mile. But if you look closely, those inches add up and these apathetic people just stand there complaining, when they let the lawmakers get that far in the first place...

 

[arnisador]

If kids are in the car, I'm OK with banning smoking around them. That could be 18 years of exposure in a confined space.

 

[celtic_crippler]

"This is the police! Pull over!"

*pulls off to shoulder of the road*

"Excuse me sir, but I believe I saw you smoking."

"No... I don't smoke."

"I know what I saw. I also smell smoke."

"But officer, I don't smoke..."

"You sassin' me, boy? Get out of the car."

"Okay..."

"Got any guns in the car?"

"No."

"How about drugs? Got any drugs hidden in the car?"

"Sigh... no."

"You better not be lyin' to me, boy."

"I'm not. Is this necessary? I'm late for work..."

"I'm just doing my job. We can't have you endangering the lives of these precious little ones, now can we, boy?"

"But I wasn't..."

"You'll need stop interfering or I'm gonna have to 'cuff ya, boy."

"Sorry... it's just I'm late for work and don't wanna lose my job..."

"I'm gonna have to call K-9 in to go over your car. To make sure there's no guns, drugs, or cigarettes..."

Yeah, I can see this being a great idea.

 

[MJS]

And probably will be... Let's assume that they make it a primary offense. I'd still not feel comfortable trying to justify a stop because I saw someone smoking, and thought there might be kids in the car? And I've got plenty of better things to do on the clock...

Exactly! Personally, I'd rather stop someone for something a bit more serious than smoking with their 4yo in the car.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

If kids are in the car, I'm OK with banning smoking around them. That could be 18 years of exposure in a confined space.

But what about at home? How about while they're in the womb?
There's evidence of birth defects caused by mothers drinking and smoking while pregnant. Do we make that illegal too?
What about just being near a smoker who isn't currently smoking but is so saturated in toxins that they emit that smoker-funk?

Mind you, I'd love to ban all smoking. Remember, I visit relatives wearing WW2 surplus gas masks because they smoke so much, and shower immediately afterward.
But what I want, isn't necessarily legal or right.