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BMA joins drive for smoke free cars.

The British Medical Association has called for smoking in cars to be banned across the UK to protect people from secondhand smoke. The BMA report highlighted research showing the high levels of toxins caused by smoking in a car.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health has also called upon the government to launch a public consultation on policies to reduce the harm of smoking in private vehicles to adults as well as children. The Smoking in Private Vehicles report is available from www.ash.org.uk/appg.

Smoking is prohibited in all commercial and work vehicles, but as yet no part of the UK has yet prohibited smoking in private vehicles by law. But smokefree action is on its way:
• Alex Cunningham MP tabled a 10 minute rule bill in Westminster about the campaign for smokefree cars. The bill was passed for a second reading on 20 January 2012 with 78 votes in favour to 66 votes against.
• The Department of Health is planning a marketing campaign in England for spring 2012 to focus on the dangers of smoking in the home and car.
• In June 2011 the Welsh Assembly agreed to introduce a three-year education programme to help reduce children’s exposure to cigarette smoke in cars. The First Minister for Wales promised to consider legislation if the education programme isn’t successful.
• The Northern Irish Health Minister, Edwin Poots, said he would consider action on smoking in cars across Northern Ireland. His department will launch a public consultation. He urged everyone with an interest to respond.
• Worldwide, countries with bans on smoking in cars where children are present include states in Canada, the US and Australia, and the whole of South Africa.

TAKE ACTION!
The British Lung Foundation (BLF) is urging people to support a ban, having handed in more than 16,000 petition signatures to Downing Street in 2011. Take a minute to visit www.lunguk.org, where the BLF have set up a really simple e-mail template to email your MP. The email asks your MP to lobby the relevant government ministers Government to ensure that children are protected from cigarette smoke in cars. There’s also a fun template letter that children can use to contact their MPs. So get your children and other friends and family involved too.