This State Might Make It Illegal To Smoke Cigarettes In Your Car When Children Are Present
I’m really glad that we have progressed as a society in the past 50 years. Back then it was normal to smoke cigarettes literally anywhere and it was just life. Now if you spark up anywhere in public, you get a dirty look from at least a few people.
Science says that smoking is bad for your body, we don’t need any of those ‘scientific’ studies to say that. But it looks like one state is finally changing the law to make others safer.
That state?
Some states have already gotten to this realization. But it seems that Alabama is getting its act together…when it comes to smoking cigarettes.
The State House passed HB 26 41-30 this week and then it goes to the Senate next. What does the bill actually state?
“This bill would prohibit smoking tobacco products in a motor vehicle when a minor is also riding in the vehicle.
A violation of this section is punishable by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) for each violation.”
Representative Rolanda Hollis had this to say about it all:
“We aren’t saying you can’t smoke, and we aren’t saying what to do with your body. We just want to look out more for the kids.”
Alright I know you’re all thinking it but…replace shoot or guns with the appropriate words in that quote and say it back to yourself. Doesn’t that also make sense? I digress, but at least we are seeing some progress in a state that seems stale of such a thing.
Hollis, who introduced the bill, thought of the idea for it after a date night with her husband. He was smoking in the car and could barely breath.
“If I can barely breathe, I’m sure children can barely breathe.”
She began thinking about her 17-year-old son and other children who had no choice in the matter of getting in the car with a smoking family member.
Safe to say her husband doesn’t smoke in the car anymore…
This proposed bill is back by science of course, not like we needed a study to back the obvious.
A study published in the Journal Circulation says that, “Children of parents that smoke have increased risk of developing carotid atherosclerotic plaque in adulthood.”
In other words?
Kids with parents that smoked had an increased rate of double the potential of heart disease than kids that didn’t have parents who smoked. Again, obvious info which just means this bill means so much more.
So what other states have already come to this realization?
California, Maine, Oregon and Virginia (as well as Puerto Rico) have already done this but Alabama is the first conservative state to do this, which is a huge win. If you can call your State Rep and ask them to do the same, we can make the world a better place.
Because let’s be honest, it’s not the 1960’s anymore…
