Calif. Prohibits Smoking With Kids In Car

$100 Fine As of Jan. 1, But Only If Motorist Is Stopped For Another Infraction

(AP)  California motorists will risk fines of up to $100 next year if they are caught smoking in cars with minors, making their state the third to protect children in vehicles from secondhand smoke.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday signed a bill that will make it an infraction to smoke in a vehicle if someone under age 18 is present. But the traffic stop would have to be made for another offense, such as speeding or an illegal turn, before the driver could be cited for smoking.

The ban, which takes effect Jan. 1, joins a string of smoking prohibitions adopted in California, including a ban on smoking in enclosed workplaces and within 25 feet of a playground.

A Harvard School of Public Health report issued last year said secondhand smoke in cars can be up to 10 times more of a health risk than secondhand smoke in a home.

"Protecting the health of our children is among government's highest responsibilities," said the bill's author, state Sen. Jenny Oropeza, a Democrat. "It is clear that increasing public awareness about the dangers of secondhand smoke is the right thing to do."

At least 20 states and a number of municipalities have considered limiting smoking in cars where minors are present. Arkansas now bans smoking in cars with children age 6 and younger, while Louisiana has limited it when children 13 and younger are in the vehicle. Maine lawmakers will take up the issue in January.

[grammawhamma]

Smoking is disgusting. And it causes impotence in men! And lowers the s e x drive in women.

What more reason do you need not to smoke?


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Posted by patriot75 at 06:35 PM : Oct 11, 2007

Hmmmm...if that is true...smoking must be the cure all for the overpopulation problem. I would think you would be grateful to the smokers for doing their part to keep the population in control. :p

[jetranger7]

SMOKING BAN,, WOW too Badd California can''t enforce its Immegration laws on Illegals, but they had time to do this ! Simply Amazing, just Amazing !! Brilliant Idiots at work !

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by slim1h2o at 08:33 PM : Oct 11, 2007


My friend, I was not aiming that at you and if you saw it that way, I apologize. I got hung up in another commentary and just now got back.

[slim1h2o]

started smoking in 1953, I quit in July 10 2004, the day I died. The medics brought me back, haven''''t had a smoke since. (death has a way of inspiring you)



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Posted by ToolMangler at 07:14 PM : Oct 11, 2007

Well, I''m not going into the details, but I quit smoking also. Worst thing I ever did, like I said, not going into the details, just because your doctor says to quit, doesn''t mean you should. I lost my life, cause I quit smoking. At least, as I knew it. I had no problems when I quit, then, after a year of not smoking, some @sshole came into work (my co worker) sick. Then, after being ill for a year after that, they started harrssing me about it. Like I said Im not going into details, but beleive me I was sc/rewed, and not by smoking, but by stupid doctors, and stupid people. This guy was no better than that guy from Ga., I beleive that guys name was Speaks, and if you remmember, I was calling that an @sshole. You can include a Lefever to that list as well!

[michellem99-2009]

Tool yer get grand babies. I loved my late grandfather but he chewed and he carried a spittoon with him.

[toolmangler-2009]

"Secondhand Smoke Hurts Heart Like Smoking"

If you are sucking the smoke out of the smokers lungs as he/she breathes out then you are getting half of what they got. I don''t mind being lip-locked with a good looking woman I just wouldn''t want it 24/7

[mo005]

I am so friggin glad I moved out of California. It is a communist state. I give it a couple more years and you will need to have your hair trimed to a certain length and color or you will be arrested. What the hell you people worried about these p-ssy whipped kids of today are gonna kill each other at school anyways.

[michellem99-2009]

I HAVE A ROOM MATE WITH IT AND HIS DRS. TELL HIM THAT HE GOT IT. I HAVE NEVER SMOKED. I AM NOT A LAWYER BUT A LAY PERSON. I live with a person that have the health issues and they werw caused by years of smoking. He has told me that he wished he never smoked. He started when a kid. Tool I see yer as the kind grand fatherly gent. I am the 53 year old legally blind lady who is just high school grad. Yer know them kids got more power than we had as kids. Ask yer grandbabies. I use a white cane and they can have yer asre in jail and I could see that day coming as I grew up in foster homes. They cou;d not lay a paw on me in shcool. Like you ,I wore thick glasses.

[toolmangler-2009]

Huh? What are you talking about, I smoke, and I''''m not impotent. ............LOL

Posted by slim1h2o at 06:47 PM : Oct 11, 2007


I started smoking in 1953, I quit in July 10 2004, the day I died. The medics brought me back, haven''t had a smoke since. (death has a way of inspiring you)

[Krazcarl]

patriot75 ...your not a patriot your jusy another moron that thinks with a flasy title your glass hold will hold more water your just another idiot trying to inflict your views on others pinhead.

[slim1h2o]

Smoking is disgusting. And it causes impotence in men! And lowers the s e x drive in women.

What more reason do you need not to smoke?


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Posted by patriot75 at 06:35 PM : Oct 11, 2007

Huh? What are you talking about, I smoke, and I''m not impotent. ............LOL

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by Dan9111 at 03:56 PM : Oct 11, 2007


Book ''em! Dano!!!

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by MichelleM99 at 02:08 PM : Oct 11, 2007


I am not saying that you don''t have a valid argument but I am saying that you should be careful of the laws you pass or children may end up with more power than you have, It is illegal to physically punish your children, if you don''t believe that, try to pop a rearend in a store and see what happens. Now Cal wants to legally limit what you can do near your children. It is just getting started by banning smoking in a car with children. What is next? I can visualize many laws that could be passed (in the interest of the children). I will tell you now that it will never be illegal to drink near them. (prohibition didn''t work before and won''t work now). Just be careful what you ask for, you just might get it. (Check out the Hitler and Communist youth and their powers)

[dan9111]

Why are kids even allowed in the car? Automobile crashes kill more children than cigarettes. That is statistically easy to verify. Clearly having kids in the car is killing them right off the bat.

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by mitch0927 at 01:54 PM : Oct 11, 2007


Thanks crzmeat, but its easy to see that he is not thinking with his brain or else he would have seen what we have. Give him time, if he continues to sit on his thinking apparatus then we can trash him.

[slim1h2o]

If only these lawmakers would pass some laws that would reduce our stress levels, we feel the need to smoke. Yet another law to worry about, not breaking.

And MichelleM99 COPD is one of most overrated "new" diseases I''ve ever heard of. Seems like they they are to quick to hand out that diagnoses, instead of looking else where, especially if you are a smoker. I know, I''ve been wrongly diagnosed with it.

[michellem99-2009]

crzmeat,Dear they do die of 2rd hand smoke. My Dad is on oxygen 24/7. He and his new wife live there. Dad has lived there since 60. I will tell yer why he is on it,COPD. As a nurse you would know what smoking does to the body.The army got him smoking. Dad is 72. I live with a heart,diabetes,copd, patent. He has had 5 heart attacks. He is 55. Them bloody cigerettes. I would not let him smoke in the home. He was told by his Dr. quit or no medical care. That was 9/12/00. He quit cold turkey.

[reporter211]

Check This Site Out For Holloween:
http://groups.msn.com/HauntedHousesInPA/yourwebpage.msnw

[karma1231]

i would just prefer that my physicians and nurses be aware of the dangers of smoking. Stupid? Yes, I''m stupid.

[Krazcarl]

KARMA....Your pulled over a ash tray full of buts are you that stupid and you had better be glad you were never my pt.