Is It Feasible To Stop Smokers Gassing Their Own Children?

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-45212448
A few years back smoking in cars with children was made illegal. Sad that was necessary but is it now time to do the same in the home? I'd have hoped parents would be protective enough of their own children that this would not be necessary but the selfishness of smokers is vast.

[aelmpvw]

the few smokers i know go outside for a fag

[bhg481]

It could be a trifle tricky to enforce.

[Gromit]

So the law would ban someone from smoking in their home if children are present. How ould any know? Tagging the children and cigarette detectors mandatory in every home?
Unenforcable.

[ToraToraTora]

yes gromit that's why I asked, "is it feasible" - lots of things are illegal in the home and most of them undetectable. They get prosecuted when they come to light. I suggest the same with smokers.

[kvalidir]

Not feasible to enforce at all I don't think. All but the most hardened idiots avoid smoking around children anyway I think, my boyfriend smokes a lot but he's very aware of little folks and people who don't smoke themselves and tries to be as unobnoxious as possible with it.

[Gromit]

Smoking is a habit that is mostly passed on from parents to their offspring. Two-thirds of smokers start before the age of 18. Mostly (there are exceptions) the children become suspeptable to smoking because they see their parents doing it everyday.
It is now a minority activity, just 15% of women smoke, and 17% of men. I find it disappointing when I see young people smoking, having seen several friends die from doing it.

[DarceyK123]

As I've said on here before, my mum is a very heavy smoker. As you say Tora the selfishness of smokers is vast, she claims to love and do anything for her family but subjected us 3 children to a smoke filled home.

But rather than make me want to start I have seen how disgusting it is and would never do so. None of us 3 kids smoke or are with partners who smoke.

[dannyk13]

Nobody has actually proved that passive smoking is harmful.

[DarceyK123]

That might be the case Danny but it's not nice going to school with freshly laundered clothes that still smell of smoke.

One teacher even said, "I can always tell who's parents smoke", I was mortified even tho it wasn't my fault.

[hc4361]

It is possible to test people for nicotine in the system, even for second hand smokers.
Perhaps children who often suffer from glue ear, ear infections, chest infections and the like could have a simple urine test for nicotine and the parent(s) prosecuted for abuse or neglect if the test returns positive.

[dannyk13]

hc, It is not the nicotine that is harmful, it is the other 100 odd chemicals.

[aelmpvw]

problem is, a positive nicotine test might mean the children are the smokers ...

[hc4361]

I was thinking of children under 10, ael.

[ToraToraTora]

spath;"If you want to start controlling what people do and how they raise their children then you’re in the wrong profession TTT " - am concerned for the children spath.
Danny: "Nobody has actually proved that passive smoking is harmful. " - I think it's universally accepted that it is but even if it isn't it inflicts a disgusting smell on those near by and pollutes their clothes and hair. If I sat in you lounge continually farting you'd rightly complain.
HC: just sniff them, anyone who's been near a smoker for hours would reek.

[ToraToraTora]

darcey: "One teacher even said, "I can always tell who's parents smoke", I was mortified even tho it wasn't my fault. " - great the teachers can report them and plod can take it from there.

[SparklyKid]

give it a rest ttt, leave the smokers alone, they contribute more in excise duty than anyone else

[jim360]

What does "proof" mean in this context? That passive smoking is harmful -- albeit not to the extent of actually smoking -- is, in essence, as widely accepted today as is the idea that the world is round.

[SparklyKid]

waiting for roy castle to be trotted out,lol.

[ToraToraTora]

sparkykid:"give it a rest ttt, leave the smokers alone, they contribute more in excise duty than anyone else " - ah that old one! the costs they inflict on society directly and indirectly are vast.