2008 Woodie Awards
Lawmakers push for smoking, spanking bans for parents
Kathryn Budzynski
Issue date: 2/8/07 Section: Opinion
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There are many parents I know who would put their child's life before their own. This mindset is a very loving, caring way to view the duties that accompany parenthood. However, there are habits that parents develop which can be very detrimental to a child's health. All over the United States lawmakers are enforcing, or trying to enforce, several different laws that will protect the health and well-being of children.
It is very often that I see adults smoking while driving. However, I don't usually pay attention to how often adults are smoking with children passengers in the car. The fact that many parents smoke around their children is very often overlooked by certain people in society. This issue up for debate is greater of a problem than many smokers realize.
According to an article published on abcnews.com by Bob Jamieson, there has been an order issued in Bangor, Maine that bans smoking in vehicles while there are passengers under the age of 18. There is, as always, the group that supports this ordinance and the one that disagrees with it. Supporters are happy with the passing of this ordinance because it is aimed at protecting children from secondhand smoke. Action on Smoking and Health's John Banzhaf said, "We know that the concentrations of tobacco smoke in cars will frequently be three to five times what they are in offices or in a bar."
Too many people don't recognize the risks they are taking by smoking with kids in the car. It is almost as if certain smokers want to turn a deaf ear regarding the issue because even though the ordinance has been passed, many do not want to have to deal with it. Libertarian groups are protesting the ordinance on account of the idea that it is "another government intrusion into the lives of U.S. citizens." Despite this argument, anyone who decides to smoke with children in the car will be penalized. The Bangor ordinance allows police to stop any car in which a driver is smoking with a child passenger. Additionally, the person can be charged $50 for not obeying the ordinance. It is a relief to know that the mayor of Bangor, Richard Greene, supports the ordinance.
It is very often that I see adults smoking while driving. However, I don't usually pay attention to how often adults are smoking with children passengers in the car. The fact that many parents smoke around their children is very often overlooked by certain people in society. This issue up for debate is greater of a problem than many smokers realize.
According to an article published on abcnews.com by Bob Jamieson, there has been an order issued in Bangor, Maine that bans smoking in vehicles while there are passengers under the age of 18. There is, as always, the group that supports this ordinance and the one that disagrees with it. Supporters are happy with the passing of this ordinance because it is aimed at protecting children from secondhand smoke. Action on Smoking and Health's John Banzhaf said, "We know that the concentrations of tobacco smoke in cars will frequently be three to five times what they are in offices or in a bar."
Too many people don't recognize the risks they are taking by smoking with kids in the car. It is almost as if certain smokers want to turn a deaf ear regarding the issue because even though the ordinance has been passed, many do not want to have to deal with it. Libertarian groups are protesting the ordinance on account of the idea that it is "another government intrusion into the lives of U.S. citizens." Despite this argument, anyone who decides to smoke with children in the car will be penalized. The Bangor ordinance allows police to stop any car in which a driver is smoking with a child passenger. Additionally, the person can be charged $50 for not obeying the ordinance. It is a relief to know that the mayor of Bangor, Richard Greene, supports the ordinance.
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