Public back smoking ban in cars
by Hannah McLaverty-WilliamsonA new poll conducted by YouGov has revealed that three quarters of Britons would back a proposed smoking ban in cars carrying children.
The ban has already gained the support of a number of doctors, but the poll conducted for the UK Faculty of Public Health (FPH) revealed that 74 per cent of the public would be in support of new legislation. But 10 per cent say they are against the idea and 11 per cent are still undecided.
A new report published by the FPH revealed that second hand smoke inside a car can be 27 times more toxic than in the home of a smoker.
Rachael Jolley, head of policy at the FPH told The Guardian: "There's a wealth of medical and public backing for a ban on smoking in cars with children. Attitudes to smoking have changed dramatically."
Recent studies have found that the inhalation of secondhand smoke can be linked to a number of medical conditions including chest infections, asthma and ear problems in children, sudden infant death syndrome and cot death.
Health experts hope conditions such as these will be enough to encourage parents to quit smoking. There are a number of techniques that can be used to give up the habit. Stop smoking hypnosis has become increasingly popular as the retraining of the smoker's conscious and subconscious mind provides a long lasting effect.
Professor Mitch Blair from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said: "We strongly support the call to ban smoking in cars with children travelling in them. The public is sending out a strong message in this survey and the government should act on this."
However, the Department of Health said: "It is important parents take responsibility for their children's health."
