Ban on smoking in cars sought

07:45 AEST Thu May 3 2012

Jenna Powell and AAP

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia wants to follow up her party's policy of plain packaging for tobacco with a ban on smoking in cars

Related Topics

Health news

Kiwis could be relied on to dob in people smoking in cars if a law banning the practice was passed, says Associate Health minister Tariana Turia

The Maori Party is calling for a ban on smoking in cars, and wants the government to consider supporting a law change.The Maori Party wants New Zealand to be smokefree by 2025, and Mrs Turia says banning smoking in cars will help.

"I've never supported smoking in cars. When I see people smoking around their children, basically trapped in a car with somebody who smokes, I can't help but wonder at whether the messages get through.

"I am increasingly surprised, although I shouldn't be, at the amount of people who smoke with small children in their car,"she told MSN NZ.

She said if the law makes it through parliament she is confident most people would report a smoker in a car, and thinks it would be particularly popular with parents of young children.

Ms Turia said much like the recent texting while driving law changes, a fine would turn most people off smoking in their car.

A poll on MSN NZ earlier this year showed 64 per cent of Kiwis are in favour of banning smoking in public places. But the Maori Party’s call to outlaw the sale of cigarettes that look like lollies earlier this week prompted outrage from many MSN NZ readers who believe politicians are going too far in their fight to make New Zealand smokefree by 2025.

“Think it’s about time governments were banned because they obviously have nothing better to do than come up with utter b.........t that costs us a fortune. I smoke, I enjoy it, I’m aware of the dangers to my health but it’s my choice. I don’t smoke around others, I pay more than enough tax each time I buy them, I have my own medical insurance so taxpayers don't have to foot the bill if I end up with a related disease, but it seems everything is blamed on smoking these days,” said Sandra from the Bay of Plenty.

“Political correctness gone mad. We are living in a nanny state,” said Blaze, of Raglan.

But Turia said her tough position on smoking was only to help the message get through to New Zealanders.

"It’s not about attacking people who smoke it’s about the substance -tobacco."

Prime Minister John Key has not ruled out a further hike in tobacco excise tax in the May 24 budget, after lobbying from the Maori Party.

There have been three 10 per cent increases in the price of cigarettes over the last two years, bringing the government an extra $200 million in revenue which now totals more than $1 billion a year.

But Turia says the price hike has also forced the largest drop in young people taking up smoking.

Would you dob some one in if you saw them smoking in car? Have your say below

User comments

I do favour the ban of smoking in cars where children are concerned. It IS a form a child abuse, it's a small space and you're forcing your child to breath in your secondhand smoke and let's be real, we all know secondhand smoke IS damaging. It's all fine and dandy to be able to choose to smoke but by smoking in your car with your children, you're taking away their choice. I am all for smoking, but you can't deny the fact it's not just your health you're endangering when you smoke around anyone, let alone your own children. However, if they make a law banning smoking inside cars there won't be any exception. It won't be a law excluding people who don't have children. This is nothing more than yet another attack on smokers masquerading as concern for the younger generation.

So I leave nz being able to smoke in my car and more than likely return not being able to? I can see it from both sides (I do enjoy to odd ciggy by the way) I thought Nazi dictatorship died in 1945? Because a few polititians are runing out of things to do they come up with these crazy ideas to justify theui job? Phone calls & texting were right to be banned, but smoking? Come on! Talking to a passenger in the car is the same as talking on the phone except you are not holding something to your eye, will talking to passengers be banned soon? Come on NZ, play hard but play fair. The next polititian to get a be in their bonnet will be a non drinker who wants to ban all alcohol from NZ because it "is bad". How much does that cost the government each year due to accidents and the like? NZ is already in major debt, can it afford not to have a billion dollar income from the ciggy companies. Polititians are the worst, lying, binge drinking smoke out the back *** children in any work place!

if i want to smoke it is my choice.in my work i cant smoke in my own car now,but if i hd a private car then i would,operative word PRIVATE.i thought that ment your space ,get real you anti smoking mob.my dad fought overseas for the right to freedom of choice,a lot of good that did .thnik about it, you used to be able to do a lot of things that you cant do now.this is one more thing in the ever tightening belt of politicaly correct garbage.if this goes through whats next.will we have to ask permition to breath.put as much effort into cutting the booze related issues,medical land social and you might get my support.at least having a smoke wont cause you to go home and bash the wife and or the kids

Not sure where this Country is heading, but obviously we our government is full of greedy, un-educated bullies! I WAS a proud NZ'r but with all the un-necessary changes that have taken place I'm seriously considering the move to OZ - Ozzies are definitely fair dinkim with how they run their country..they look after their people.... I will continue to smoke in my CAR...

OMFG..Turiana. How many more of our rights do you all plan on taking away from us? Not only smokers but also fast food lovers, people who drink out of moderation and still get boxed in with the alcoholics, parents who lightly smack their children but are being boxed in with child abusers, every one who are having their freedom of choice puppeteer ed by these damn politicians.

Let em try! Wont stop me at all. I'll smoke in my car if i chose, and no politican can stop me.

I was often trapped in a car with side-stream smoke blowing straight back in my face, or with no window open at all. I could not breathe. It was no wonder that I had what appeared to be asthma as a child and then ended up with stomach problems in my late teens. (Interestingly, all our household pets died of some form of cancer, too!) There shouldn't have to be a law against this, and at face value, it looks extreme. However, many parents don't believe they are doing anything wrong and some do it abusively, on purpose, because the child complains that they do not like it. My mother was like that.

If I choose to smoke still after 50 years it is my right. I have no children to subject my smoking to. What is happening to NZ? Nobody seems to have any rights and this is not a democratic country anymore. A person starts lobbying and then a law is introduced that not all of our country agree with. However it still goes through and no wonder the whole darn world is up in arms about everything. Could it be what we are eating and all the genetic crap that they put into our food. Everybody is on a roll to make more millions. Only the other week they advocated on Tele that coffee is bad for you then lo and behold the following week somebody said that 3 -4 cups of coffee is good for you. That is not the only thing to gripe about that has differing circumstances. The price of alcohol is not stepped up but that probably is because MP's like their drink as one MP said.. How unfair? What about the social smoker and I know plenty of those type. It is so stressful living in NZ today.

Has even one child been documented as having been harmed by "second hand smoke" in a car? If not, what is the Public Interest justification to enact such laws? Have medical professionals been consulted about the negative effects of requiring one to go Cold Turkey when getting into cars (even convertibles?!) with kids? Have they explained the anxiety, irritation (road rage?), sleepiness, distraction, etc., caused by Withdrawal Effects? if those points haven't even been addressed, this is illegitimate, reckless, and dangerous law.

I think smokers need to be more respectful of those around them. I don't feel it should be an offence to smoke in your car, but a smoker who chooses to needs to be aware of others in the surrounding area. Children should not be subjected to second hand smoke. Nor should non smokers in other cars at traffic lights, or non smokers who are in the same car. It is my right to smoke, but it's not my right to force my exhaled smoke onto others. My fellow smokers need to stop feeling victimised and be a little more considerate.