File photo of cigarettes are seen during manufacturing process in BAT Cigarette Factory in Bayreuth
Lucky Strike cigarettes are seen during the manufacturing process in the British American Tobacco Cigarette Factory (BAT) in Bayreuth, southern Germany, April 30, 2014. Reuters/Michaela Rehle/File Photo

In what can be termed as a 'landmark decision,' Wales has put a ban on people smoking in cars carrying children.
By banning smoking in cars carrying children, the government of Wales intends to protect kids from passive smoking, which leads to chronic illnesses. As kids are more susceptible and vulnerable, it is believed that exposure to the hazardous chemicals in tobacco smoke can harm the children in more than one way.

The decision by the government of Wales to put a ban on second-hand smoke in cars carrying children is expected to go down well with the general mass since Wales is the first country in the United Kingdom that decided to tackle the issues of smoking in cars carrying children. In 2011, the First Minister announced the Welsh government's decision to start a campaign to tackle the issue of smokers in cars carrying kids.

Calling it as "the final piece in the jigsaw to eliminate the harm and end persistent inequalities in exposure," Health Minister Mark Drakeford said, "The research findings clearly show there is public support for not allowing smoking in cars when carrying children and that this support and awareness of the dangers of second-hand smoke have increased over the last three years." He further added, "Although the research findings show that progress has been made in reducing children's exposure to second-hand smoke in cars, we now believe the introduction of regulations to prohibit smoking in private vehicles carrying under-18s is needed as the final piece in the jigsaw to eliminate the harm and end persistent inequalities in exposure." Drakeford urged people to express their opinion and said, "We will now consult on these proposals and I urge people to have their say."

Providing details of the campaign launched to stop smoking in cars with children inside, Wales' First Minister Carwyn Jones, said, "In 2012, we launched the Fresh Start Wales campaign to promote smoke-free cars carrying children and raise awareness to parents the risk their smoking poses to the health of children. We made clear that we would consider the possibility of legislation when evidence of prevalence of smoking in cars carrying children in Wales is available in the summer of 2014".