What a bunch of bull. We will all be under communist rule in Canadaski soon. Raise the age of drinking to 21, make drug offences or gang related crimes a criminal offence punishable by a minimum of 10 years no parole. Do something constructive instead of this trivial crap!

Oh ya, by the way I am a non smoker!

Any time the health of children can be improved it is a step forward. As a child many of us were around our parents who smoked, while many may not have adverse side effects from it, others including myself struggle with severe asthma and allergies. The cost on the health care system in caring for these sick children continues to rise. I think while although somewhat intrusive, we need to advocate for children who cannot speak for themselves. I just wonder how much monitoring there really will be.

Just remember that a child of 15 can be leaning against your car smoking a cigarette, and that is ok, but if they get into your car and you are smoking, then you get a ticket. I suspect that it would be ok for them to smoke in your car if they wanted to, but not you.

There seems to be no end to the crap laws that Governments are passing these days. As long as they are busy with the trite and mundane, they will never get to dealing with the real problems. This of course is what the vested interest groups want.

This gives the police another reason to stop your car. Ie; **if they suspect that someone is smoking with the presence of someone under the age of 16 in the car**. Will these children be forced to carry picture ID to show their age, or how will the police determine the age of the older ones???

Will the police have the resources, and time to enforce these ***goofy*** laws. Highly unlikely. They will enforce them the same as they do the Helmet laws, or the booster seat laws. Unless someone is right in their face, they will just ignore them.

I see 10 to 30 people per day riding their bikes without helmets, however have yet to see them being stopped by the police.

Passing laws that are ignored by the police and the citizens of the Country just breeds a contempt of the law, however those in power to-day are to ignorant to understand that concept.

Well said Palopu!
That pretty much says it all!
I am getting damn sick and tired of the control this government is trying to exercise over our lives, and that is NOT why they were elected!
Anyone with a half a brain knows not to smoke in a car with young kids in it, and
we don't need out provincial government to tell us that!
The Campbell government is not a government at all...it is a dictatorship by election!

Good, this is fantastic news. I wish the fines were a way higher. And I wish the car companies would make an ashtray in a vehicle a really expensive option, sort of like an upgrade to leather seats will cost.

While the gov't is at it, lets put a ban on cell phone use in moving vehicles, with a provision that would allow hands-free operation only. That's a law that most of us would be in favour of I think. I have seen more people weaving over the road while they're trying to dial a number or send a text message, of all things. A few of us are aware of accidents that caused a death, by people who weren't paying attention to their driving while they were using their phones.

I can see from some of the comments in the forum, that some people will have to be dragged, kicking and screaming like kids throwing a tantrum, into accepting this law. Don't fight it, people, this is a good law. Put your differences with the current provincial government aside, and stand behind what is right.

Thank you.

Pretty Orwellian if you ask me.

beesknees, thats exactly why smokers chuck their buts out the window, ashtrays cost too much or the vehicle doesn't come with them. That's how forest fires get started, burned down half of Strawberry Hill in Kamploops in 2003. If a parent doesn't have the sense to not smoke while the kids are in the car that's their problem. I don't sgree with it but that's the way it is. We are policed much too much, cops for everything except looking after the real problems. I agree 100% with Palopu.

$109 dollar ticket? Sure am glad my carbon tax is revenue neutral. Maybe the government will fine you if you breathe heavily after exerting yourself. You know, maybe a CO2 fine. CO2 is a greenhouse gas. Too much of it, well you know......

If they really care about our kids, how come BC is the worst province for child welfare.

Of all the people in society children need protection from negligent parents. I'm sure many of us can tell you stories of growing up with parents who thought nothing about driving around with the kids in the back and a stogey in hand. There is nothing wrong with laws like this, parents should NEVER smoke around there children.

At this rate it will only be a couple of years more and there will be nothing but criminals living in BC because there will be a law for everything some silly ass can think up that will keep our law enforcement agency so busy arresting the Average Joe that they will never get around to catching the actual BAD GUYS!!!

It's a non-issue. Kids need to be protected from irresponsible adults who smoke in the car, use the cell phone while trying to drive, disobey stop signs and speed like mad when not busy tailgating.

"If a parent doesn't have the sense to not smoke while the kids are in the car that's their problem."

Actually, it is the child's problem.

Damn rights ammonra. This isn't about punishing adults, it's about protecting children.

Hmmmmm.... agreed kids need to be protected from smoking...... not sure that an Orwellian law that gives the taser happy folk a right to stop normally law abiding people and issue a fine that is WAY more than the drug dealers and the like ever see is correct.... Hmmmm.... sell crack and heroine to the kids and get nothing... smoke in the presence of a kid and get fined.... seems like things are a little out of whack here

Just dandy that now our police can spend time watching for sneaky smokers in vehicles - maybe roadblocks are in order here. Try calling for police assistance and waiting like we have to do for our "emergencies" to be dealt with. Now they will be extra busy busting smokers to fill the coffers with fines. Good intentions of creating safer environments for our children, but not well thought out.

northernjoe, give me one example of a place where you can sell heroin or crack to a child and not be punished if you're caught. We have many laws in place to protect children. Why is there resistance to this one? Perhaps it's because people want to smoke in their cars and damned if their children are exposed to that or not.

I'm a cop and I can tell you that unless your right beside me in traffic and waving your cigarette butt around with a child in the backseat, that this law will be pretty much unenforceable.

If cars had only been invented yesterday, we would have to wear helmets and flame proof suits and 5 point harnesses to drive them. I think there is a lot of BS out there regarding smoking. Those righteous 'its for the kids' people out there ought to get off their duffs and fight some of the really damaging stuff out there. Ever talk to a nurse about the proportion of drug addicted/ alcohol damaged babies that are born in PG each year? The proportion is astounding. Or perhaps those parents who teach their kids that drinking until you are too drunk to walk is a good way to spend the weekend. Or maybe those who live in the bowl (with all that pollution). Or parents who let their kids drop out of school (that has to be at least as harmful to life expectancy as 2nd hand smoking is). None of that stuff is against the law. All of it hurts kids.
By and large i think most smokers these days are pretty careful about their second hand smoke. Those who are not are also not likely to give a flying fig abut a ticket they are probably never going to get. By passing yet another law we desensitize ourselves about the effect of restricting peoples freedoms, one little bite at a time. I realize there will be a lot of thundering about caring and protecting kids but i really dont think this law is going to do jack for kids in the long run. It is just another step towards satisfying the anti smoking crusaders goal out outlawing tobacco altogether.
I am not a smoker, by the way so save the personal attacks and rants, please.

Bingo caranmacil!

That's because the sober girls are too busy smoking to get pregnant! And their breathe is so bad after smoking they don't have enough sex appeal to be worth the effort.

The NDP tried to use the WCB to go after smokers, but WCB being an insurer, has never paid out for a second hand smoke claim. The hazzards for contracting West Nile virus from mosquitos is several orders of magnitude greater. (1,000 times greater). If it is statiscally insignificant, why are we using my WCB?

Smoking is no different than farting, we just don't like people doing it in our face. Go outside, thank-you.

I'm a non-smoker, and smoking is only one of the things that people do that bug me, but the government has it's hands full if they are going to try and legislate common sense.

RUEZ:"Damn rights ammonra. This isn't about punishing adults, it's about protecting children."

Perfect assessment. If only a few of these careless smokers are given ticket each year and they stop their stupid habit of exposing their offspring to second hand smoke it will have been worth it.

The cops can catch them when checking for seat belt violations or when they are spotted smoking in the presence of the little ones while driving down the road.

It's not going to cost extra money and the fines (since the Liberals changed it) are now being returned to the city where it happened.

Win-win situation.

Just another money grab because it will not be controlled. On the other hand I wish these rules were in effect when I was a kid with two smoking parents in a car.

Great law.

Is this just another BC law, or is this canada wide.Hows this going to hold up with tourism, are they going to be omitted. I already know some europeans that used to love Canada, spend lots of money in Canada, but now want to be met in the United States because of these comunist smoking laws.

So is this law for tabacoo only... what about incense, or what about the raid bug dope one would maybe use when camping?

Does this law give a cop a right to enter your motorhome or camper to inspect for evidence of smoking... even when the vehicle is parked at say a campground?

Seems a dangerous slippery slope to me.

I understand the intent of this legislation, as I am sure all of us here do. I think the idea is a good one, but theory and reality are very different. I cannot see effective enforcement of the rule. How do the police confirm that the adult was smoking - take a picture? I am a non-smoker, but if I was issued a ticket for smoking, I would challenge it in court. How would a police officer confirm that I was actually smoking,that the offence occurred? How would they do that?

Heh i forgot about raid! Or bug coils! I used to burn em in the trailer for no seeums but i sure wouldnt with my kids around....ought to be illegal i guess. Also, cell phones! It isnt illegal to let your kids use em but they give brain tumors apparently. I know, i am beating a dead horse but really, how else do you get the 'more-laws-to-protect-us' crowd?