A Smoking Ban Too Far

Rich Miller posted an interesting question yesterday when he asked if a proposal in the Illinois legislature that would ban smoking in cars when children are present is taking the whole smoking ban thing too far. Most of his commenters seem to think this would be an excessive reach of government. I guess I would kind-of, sort-of very reluctantly agree.

The other common theme in the comments tread was how reprehensible it is for parents to subject their kids to cigarette smoke. I totally agree there too. I had respiratory problems through most of my childhood (until I was 13 or so) and my father was a heavy smoker, in the home and in the car. Was there a connection? Dunno, maybe. His smoking certainly didn’t help.

So we are somewhat agreed that banning smoking in cars with children present is not a good idea while we are also agreed that smoking in cars with children present is also not a good idea. Hmmm. So what should be done, if anything, to resolve this conundrum?

I think a combination of education and social pressure might be the answer. The education component would include things like public service announcements directed at smoking parents and anti-smoking education in schools for potential future smokers. I think kids and especially high school kids who are entering that age where most smoking begins should be taught that, if they choose to smoke, it is wrong to subject others, particularly children, to their secondhand smoke.

Beyond education, society should simply become intolerant of such behavior. Don’t make it illegal, just socially unacceptable. Talk about how you would never do such a thing and even give a dirty look to those that do. Don’t call names or start fights but make it clear you disapprove. No one wants to be a social pariah and that kind of pressure will be more effective than a law in that it encourages smokers to police their own behavior.

This approach is really just an extension of the existing overall campaign to rid society of smoking. It’s a long term solution but one that will not infringe on smokers “private space” if you will. Bans on public smoking are enforced because it involves space shared by all of us. A person’s home and car are a different matter and we need to proceed with both caution and determination in ending secondhand smoke that affects the children.

Update: Dan comes out strongly for the ban in cars. I can't really rebut the core of his argument, I'm just thinking more along the lines of what's going to be most effective in achieving the goal of convincing smokers not to smoke around their kids.

Update II: Blevins is showing no mercy towards smoking parents either. I hate it when I'm the biggest conservative in the room.