BMA calls for car smoking ban - Car Rental News
BMA calls for car smoking ban
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Car Rental News - 17/11/2011
Officials from the British Medical Association say that a ban on smoking in cars is needed to protect children.
The health organisation says that ministers should move to extend the UK’s current ban on smoking in public places to include vehicles. The BMA said the statement comes in response to recent studies in which it found that toxin levels in smoke-filled cars can be up to 23 times higher than levels found in smoky bars.
But it seems the Government is apprehensive to dive head first into such a ban, as a cross-party panel has said that non-legislative measures may be a better option. A new report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health has suggested that educational campaigns on the issue might be the best step to take and that an all-out ban might even turn out to be ‘counterproductive’ because public consensus would need momentum first.
There aren’t yet any car smoking bans yet in place in the UK, although Wales has started an education campaign on the issue and Northern Ireland has said it would soon launch a consultation regarding a possible ban.
Meanwhile, the BMA stands firm that fully barring people from smoking in cars would be the most effective step in protecting non-smokers from the associated risks, particularly children, who it says are particularly vulnerable.
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