Time to clear the air
Every now and then we need to be reminded of what’s right and what’s not right. That’s why we have parents to keep us in line when we’re kids and now the government as we get older. Rules help to guide our lives and whether we like the rules or not, we need to respect them. Do you feel the same way or do you have mixed feelings?
Our provincial government has banned smoking in the vehicle when you have young children in the vehicle. I think it’s a good rule. We need to care for our children as best as we can. Sometimes we need “big brother” to help us make those decisions. We know that second hand smoke can be harmful to others, so let’s protect our young passengers.
I recently read an article which stated that second hand smoke contains over 4,000 toxins (poisonous chemicals that are harmful to the body), 50 of which are known to cause cancer. It also contains nearly triple the nicotine and 70% more tar than the smoke inhaled by a smoker.
No amount of second hand smoke is considered safe. The amount of second hand smoke in the air inside of a car can be up to 20 times more than in a bar and 27 times more than the air inside of a smoker’s home. Rolling down the window to let out cigarette smoke does not help as much as people think they do. To reduce the amount of second-hand smoke toxins in a car to safe levels would require air exchange between the inside and outside of the car at the speed of a tornado.
So what if you’re alone and smoke in your vehicle; is that okay? Does it matter if the smell of cigarette smoke lingers in the air? Since I’m a non-smoker, I can always tell which vehicles have had a smoker in it. It’s always easier for non-smokers to determine this smell since it’s not something we’re used to smelling. Smokers have a tendency to overlook that smell since they’re used to it. I find it very difficult to sit for any prolong time in a vehicle that has a lot of second hand smoke in it; or even a trace of smoke.
The other day I saw a driver smoking while they were driving and they had 2 small children in the vehicle. Aren’t we supposed to protect the health of our children? Oh yeah, they also had an air freshener hanging from their rear view mirror. Yeah, that’ll help clear the air.
I know we all have the right to our own habits and I know smokers feel like they’re being picked on. Go ahead and smoke because I know it gives you pleasure, but please respect others in your vehicle who don’t smoke. Your pleasures shouldn’t make us uncomfortable and your pleasures shouldn’t affect our health.
I never understood how smoking is legal but eating is not. While I don’t condone either of them, I find smoking to be a much higher risk: If someone has a hamburger they can be pulled over for distracted driving, but smoking is ok?
If I drop a piece of food, I get a stain on my pants. If I were to drop a cigarette, I’d have burns and possibly a fire.
That, and I regularly find cigarette butts in my engine bay from smokers tossing their butts out the window – Never found food there. lol