Media Statement
For immediate release Thursday, 14 August 2003

Baldock: Ban smoking with kids in cars

United Future's Larry Baldock last night called for support for an amendment to the Smokefree Environment Amendment Bill that would make it illegal to smoke in cars while driving young children.

"If we are sincere in trying to protect people from the health consequences of second-hand smoke, we must surely place our priority on those who are too young to make these choices for themselves," Mr Baldock said in Parliament.

"The idea that young children are trapped in the smoky environment of their parents' motor vehicles ought to be appalling to us all," he said, adding that he would be seeking the support of the Cancer Society, ASH, the Ministry of Health, the National Heart Foundation and the 45 organisations that recently sponsored a national newspaper advertisement attesting to their belief that second-hand smoke kills.

"It is all very well debating the rights of adults to eat and drink in the smoke-free environments of restaurants and bars, but each adult has a choice about whether they go there or not. Children don't," Mr Baldock said.

He said he hoped that the amendment prohibiting smoking in cars carrying children under the age of 12, would send a message to parents to think about smoking in their homes and how that impacts on the health of their children.

Ends.

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