RCPCH President comments on latest smoking in cars research

The President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health comments on the publication of a new paper which talks about the harmful effects tobacco smoke has on children in cars.

The data, published in Tobacco Control, examined 17 drivers, 14 of whom were smokers, who made a total of 104 journeys, with an average duration of 27 minutes. The authors said that exposure to second-hand smoke is linked to several children's health problems, including sudden infant death, meningitis and respiratory conditions such as asthma and wheezing.

Dr Hilary Cass, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said:

'Levels of tobacco smoke in a car can be even higher than in a smoky bar and the effect on children can be serious, with second-hand smoke strongly linked to chest infections, asthma, ear problems and cot deaths.

'The Government’s recent advertising campaign has tried to expose just how damaging smoke in a confined space is for children. But we’ve long campaigned on this issue and are calling on Government to go the extra mile and make it illegal.

'You can’t smoke in public places anymore. It’s illegal to inflict your smoke on colleagues at work. So why should you be allowed to inflict it on children?'

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