Curious

Sarahjess06 · October 2013

I'm interested in your thoughts Mommas!

So I shared a post on my FB about a Michigan lawmaker, wanting to make it illegal for adults to smoke in a vehicle, with children under 18.
If caught it would be a $500 fine.

I as a non smoker think this is fabulous! Both my parents smoked and never respected us asking them to not, or to at least not smoke around us. To my surprise however, this caused quite the debate.

What are your views?

Mamaengen · October 2013

I have been wishing that would be passed here (and nationally). I absolutely think it's wonderful. My mom's family all smoked like trains (in the house, car, etc.). Now, despite having never smoked in her life, she is told by every doctor she sees that she should stop smoking.

Plus, there is now substantial proof that you can get sick (even cancer) from third-hand smoking. To me that should be endangering the life of a child. I'm all about freedom and now legislating our ways to slavery, but I think this is a necessity for our children. The child has no way to stand up for themselves. I've seen way too many kids who have severe asthma because their parents choose to smoke in front of them. Why would you choose to make your child more likely to develop cancer?!

MamaFantastic · October 2013

sounds like a very smart law to me!! i judge the heezy out of people who smoke around children, and i don't think i will EVER stop doing that.

pineconey · October 2013

My siblings and I were forced to ride in vehicles with smokers all through elementary school. I vividly remember being in the back seat of the van our neighbor drove us to school in with my face smashed against a small screened window gasping for fresh air. My stepdad is a smoker too- I hated it! My little sister and I had 2-3 ear infections a year, likely in part due to the smoke exposure. I'm originally from Michigan, and I LOVE that idea!!

nikki912 · October 2013

Absolutely agree it should be a law. Would be interested to hear a smokers two cents!

prettyinpink84 · October 2013

Love this idea. Can we get it in all 50 states? Wishful thinking!

BiggerinRealLife · October 2013

I think it's fabulous and see absolutely no downsides. It's not restricting smoking, just smoking when you have children who may be hurt by it. Sad that we have to pass laws to protect children from their parents.

BuggasMom · October 2013

It should absolutely be passed! Kids deserve to be protected it blows my mind that any adult would even choose to smoke near a child let alone in a closed in area! I wish I was protected at times and I am an adult! I don't smoke and there is times when I have been forced to breath in someone's cig toxins .

I got in a fight with a gentleman at disneyland for lighting up while waiting for our shuttle right next to me (pregnant and my 3 year old daughter)

yes we were outside but we were in a isolated area and I was infuriated! It's fine if he wants to smoke on his free time that is his choice if he wants to put those toxins in his body! But he should do it away from public why should me and my kids have to be forced to breath in your toxins ? Don't we have a choice?! I choose to breath fresh air! And my right to do so was violated! Ugh don't get me started ... Some People just have no respect

clickactual · October 2013

I'm pretty sure this is a law in Cali already. I think it's a fantastic law! I know one woman who literally cried when they found out they were being stationed there, her reason? "I can't smoke with the girls in the car. I don't know how I can make it through a 25 minute car ride without a smoke". She had a 1 year old with FAS and a 4 year old... I wanted to steal her kids away!

bacorrea · October 2013

Do it! do it! do it! *chants*

My mom and dad have foster kids right now and it is proven that some of their medical problems are because they lived in a house with a chain smoker.

I have a hard time with people that willingly smoke who fully know the consequences! My friend works as a nurse and she constantly has patients who die from COPD! It does not take smoking your whole life to kill you. Some of these people haven't smoked in 40 years! I just think it is all really sad.

I wish smoking was illegal period; but, people are allowed to chose if want to destroy their lives. Their children shouldn't suffer because of their poor choices!

Jwheels68 · October 2013

I'm a former smoker. I could not agree with this more. I wouldn't go back to smoking and even if I ever did, NEVER with a child in the car. I think it's terrible.

katieharpiceland · October 2013

Former smoker as well and totally!! I used to LOVE to smoke in my cheap ass little crappy car on the way to work. But never, in a million years, would I dream of smoking anywhere near a child. (Someone mentioned somewhere else you don't notice the smell when you are a smoker, its totally true. Shocking too!)

bornmommy · October 2013

Great law. Definitely should be passed.

C2B2 · October 2013

I complained to my smoker parents CONSTANTLY as a child (and as an adult ) about their smoking. About how bad it was for them, and me, and how stinky and gross it was, and how stinky it made me, and how expensive and wasteful it was. In the car, the excuse was, but the window is down. My response was I don't care, it still stinks.
I hope this passes and sets a chain reaction around the country.

MegJ17 · October 2013

It took me getting asthma for my dad to stop smoking in the house and car. I saw a guy doing this last night and it really pissed me off. With all the data showing how horrible it is for you and people around you it amazes me people still do it.

Sarahjess06 · October 2013

AprilMay9 said:
I think there are much bigger issues the government should be worrying about. This is just feel good legislation. You want to improve public health have a balanced budget and low unemployment.

This was the main debate on fb." Well that and the government just wants to control us" and "they are MY kids, we all make choices as parents, some people take their kids to McDonald's"

My parents were smokers and I hated it! I begged constantly for them to at least not do it around me. I wish there would have been a law to protect me from it, because clearly my parents didn't respect me enough to listen.

LolaX2 · October 2013

I would love it if this were a law! Too many children suffer from people that only care about themselves and getting their smoke. If you wanna smoke in your car by yourself or someplace else go ahead but not around children that have no choice in the matter! My step mother growing up was a chain smoker 3-4 packs a day and always smoked in the house and car around me - I hated it! I also developed asthma and have strong allergies to smoke!

My now MIL is a pretty big smoker but she would never dream of doing it any place near our DS. I wish she would quit because it is so bad for her and she already is suffering health issues do to it, but at least she is very good about not doing it around any children or us.

CalinAZ · October 2013

I wholeheartedly believe it should be passed. As PP said, children can't defend themselves, and are getting real health issues because of this. The government should absolutely step it to protect these kids.

I'm a teacher and have multiple kids who just reek of smoke every day, and I know it's because they come to school with a smoker. And they can't do anything about it.

Linnea503 · October 2013

I definitely support this being a law. It's endangering a child, pure and simple.

kali55 · October 2013

It's a law where I live too and I fully support it. You would think in this day and age that smoking in an enclosed area with young children (or any other non-smoker) in the same area would be a definite no-no.

Tantan2779 · October 2013

Love it!

rlmanning · October 2013

Being an Ex Smoker I think this is a great law. I grew up in a household of smokers, and firmly believe that both my brothers and myself became smokers because it wasnt a big deal in our household growing up. Now none of us smoke, including my mom (my dad has passed away). My MIL smokes and she respects my request to not smoke around Bailey. All of my friends used to smoke as well and now there are more non smokers than smokers. It is really nice!

As for the law, I think it is great! But honestly I cant understand how this not common knowledge... It baffles me that people are that stupid to smoke in the car with kids...

:-/

sweetmelissa0707 · October 2013

It's a great law. Less exposure to the toxic fumes produced by cigarettes is better for everyone. I'm grateful that no one in my family or immediate circle of friends smokes.

lyndsey774 · October 2013

I get so angry when I see parents smoking with their children in the backseat. Absolutely this should be a law everywhere!

Rogue237 · October 2013

Woo-hoo! Go Michigan (I don't get to say that often when it comes to laws lol). That's a great idea.

Eija3014 · October 2013

lia619 said:
While I hate (super hate really) when parents smoke around kids especially in cars where they can't escape, I don't really think it's feasible to really enforce. It reminds of banning texting and driving--we all know it's not good and really dangerous (not to mention illegal in most places) but people still do it. Sadly, you can't always legislate respect and consideration for other people, even if those other people are defenseless children.

Such a good point! I agree.

At the very least, if it can be medically proven that the parent(s) caused harm to the child from second-hand smoke, they should be charged with child abuse! It's literally poisoning your child! If someone gave their child rat poison, would we just look the other way and say, "It's their child. They can make those choices for their child." Um no. Just like in any other case of child abuse, at some point the parents are incapable of making smart and healthy choices for their child and someone needs to step in.

Not saying that directed towards any of you, just the selfish parents who carelessly harm their poor babies

Bluebird2318 · October 2013

Why was anyone even debating this on Facebook? Wow. I wish it could be enforced. Your right to smoke does not outweigh your child's right to clean air in a confined space. I can't even imagine a single legitimate argument to the contrary. WTF?

RebeccaY1 · October 2013

It's already law in Canada and is enforced.

Want a personalized experience?

Curious

Re: Curious

Choose Another Board

Search Boards