Smoking in the car

My parents always smoked around me - in the car with the windows rolled up, in the house, everywhere....and I was very sickly as a child. I feel like it's really irresponsible and selfish of people to smoke in a tight space like a car and force their children to sit there breathing it in.
I say fine them - it could be a good source of revenue for the state, and if the parents have money to waste on smoking they have money to pay the fines.

California, Louisiana, and I believe Arkansas have this ban in effect. I want to say I saw something about Texas not letting people be foster parents if they smoked. I don't have a problem with it. We are suppose to protect children so I think this is a step in a good direction.

KarilouMomof2 is a discussion leader for arizonamoms.com living in Tempe. Her daughters are 9 and 6.

Honesty, you just can't regulate everything. While I think it's a positive thing, you know it just can't possibly be enforced. The only way I can see someone getting ticketed is if they are already stopped for speeding and the officer smells smoke and sees kids. But even then, I can see parents getting away with it.

Should parents refrain from smoking in front of their kids? absolutely. But many parents aren't responsible enough for kids but have them anyway.

My dad always smoked around me. He thought I was being bratty when I complained that it made me all congested. I AM ALLERGIC to cigarette smoke!!! Then he apologized about it when he finally quit and realized how stinky and bothersome it is for your breathing. I forgive him for his ignorance.

Neither my husband or I smoke and frankly I keep the kids away from relatives on my husband's side that do...many of the women smoke. I think some of them think it helps them stay skinny. I think that's an aweful excuse to smoke. Just put the doughnuts, chips or vodka tonic down!

If it's for relaxation, take a break with some soothing music, a bath, yoga or alone time. there are so many better habits that we should be teaching our kids.

I think it's a good idea, but it's going to be hard to monitor. Just like the seat belt laws, cops can't focus on a car when they're driving to see details like that. I think it's very selfish of people to smoke around kids. They wonder why we have lung problems and other health issues.

OK...Here goes.

I am a smoker. Yes, that's right. Proud, Mega Mom over here, smokes. :-(

I remember when I first found out I was prego, I INSTANTLY stopped smoking. Hardest thing I ever did. Less the childbirth...LOL. But, after having him, I was stupid, and I started again.

There have been a few, very few times where I was in the car and smoked with him in it. And I bet I could count them on one hand. I don't smoke in my house, and I rarely smoke in front of my son. Heck, I rarely smoke knowing I am going to be around him shortly after!

I think it would be a very good idea for a law like that to get passed. It makes me very sad to see little ones be consumed by cigarette smoke. Very sad. I say do it. Smoker and all, I'd vote to pass it!

"Everything will be OK in the end. If EVERYTHING is not OK, it is not the end"

My parents were both smokers and I remember being the car with all that smoke. I can't stand the smell today. I constantly have a runny nose - not connected with allergies or a cold - and a doctor once told me that it could be a result of second hand smoke exposure.

Susie is a discussion leader in the east valley for arizonamoms.com. She has two sons, ages 6 and 2.

I'm not a smoker, and it grosses me out when I see parents smoking around their kids, particularly when they're walking with them and the cigarette dangling from their fingertips is right at the child's face level. That said, the government obviously can't mandate good parenting and if they ban smoking in the car, will they next move on to people's houses? I can't imagine it will fly.

By the way, tinkmom, you can make a lower-calorie vodka tonic with diet tonic water.

I say go for it. Im not sure it will really be put into effect. But C'mom, if youre a smoker you should know the effects of 2nd hand smoke. and just as a responsible human being, dont smoke in the car with your kids. Dont smoke around kids in general. but not everyone cares about that or are ignorant about it.

My mother smoked with me in the car and I and my siblings grew up with breathing problems and other medical issues that can be related to that kind of exposure. I believe that a fine would be a great solution to protect children who are unable to do so themselves. I cant believe how some people can cause harm to their children in this way, it's just not fair to the children and its irresponsible of the parent.

I don't think the state, goverment, or others should be able to control everything. By telling someone that can't do this or that in their own car that they pay for is a bunch on nonsense.

If it's allowed don't the "non smokers" who want to pass this law ever stop to think that their rights as free people could be taken away too!

Check out the Republic's story here: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1130smoking1130.html

Arizona Moms Editor Yvette Armendariz shares stories about raising her kids and tips for busy parents in her Time-starved (goddess) Mom blog. She and her husband are raising two children, ages 8 and 11.