BC To Protect Kids From Second Hand Smoke in Cars

Solicitor General John van Dongen today introduced amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act that will protect children under the age of 16 from second-hand smoke while they are passengers in motor vehicles.

“With the introduction of this legislation, we are meeting our throne speech commitment to ensure children are no longer subjected to second-hand smoke in vehicles,” said Health Minister George Abbott. “Children are the future of this province, and we want to do everything possible to ensure that they get the best possible start in life. Tobacco smoke is particularly harmful to the developing system of a young child, and this legislation complements our tobacco control strategy in moving towards a healthier B.C.”

As with other violations of the Motor Vehicle Act, enforcement of the legislation will be the responsibility of local police departments and the RCMP. Individuals found to be in violation of the legislation will be subject to a fine, and failure to pay smoking violation fines will result in a refusal to issue drivers’ and vehicle licences.

“The harmful effects of tobacco smoke are heightened in small enclosed places and this exposure can have immediate and serious, long-lasting consequences for the health of a child,” said provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall. “Research indicates that smoking one cigarette in a parked vehicle with the windows rolled up will produce a concentration of second-hand smoke up to 11 times higher than what would be encountered in a smoky bar. The introduction of this legislation is an important move in protecting the health of young children in this province.”

B.C. joins a number of other jurisdictions in introducing legislation that bans smoking in cars when children are present, including Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Yukon Territory and the U.S. states of Arkansas, California, Louisiana and Maine.

The amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act support the Province’s larger tobacco control strategy, which aims to further reduce B.C.’s smoking rates and to improve the health of British Columbians. In March 2008, government implemented legislation that bans smoking in indoor public spaces and workplaces and restricts the way tobacco is displayed and sold. Other recent initiatives include the September 2007 implementation of legislation that bans tobacco use in schools and on school grounds and the introduction of a provincewide policy that will see all health authority facilities in B.C. smoke-free by October 2008.

The Ministry of Health also funds the free smoking cessation programs QuitNow.ca and QuitNow by Phone, which are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all British Columbians. QuitNow by Phone offers translation services in over 130 languages.

For more information on tobacco control in B.C., please visit the Tobacco Control Program’s website at www.health.gov.bc.ca/tobacco.