Like France, Scottish smokers are no longer allowed to consume a cigarette in a car carrying a child.
Flying or smoking… In Scotland, parents will have to choose. From this Monday, it is forbidden to smoke in the car in the presence of a child. Any offender must immediately pay a fine of 100 pounds, or 119 euros. The fine can go up to 1,000 pounds (1190 euros) if the case goes to court, according to this law voted unanimously by the Scottish Parliament.
The sanction is more severe than in France where the amount of the fine can range from 68 to 450 euros. This new measure is part of the government’s plan to create a “tobacco-free generation” by reducing the number of smokers to less than 5% of the population by 2034.
Ten times more fine particles
“It is just not safe to smoke when a child is in the car. Chemicals can build up to dangerous levels, even on short trips, ”said Health Minister Aileen Campbell.
A similar law has been in force in England and Wales since October 2015. In France, the measure was adopted when the health law was passed. A government amendment provided that the ban would apply in the presence of a child under the age of twelve. To the surprise, the deputies raised this age to 18 years.
In the amendment, it can be read that “the concentration of fine particles in the rear seats of vehicles is ten times higher in the car of a smoker than in that of a non-smoker. This concentration is more than three times higher than the average threshold accepted by the WHO ”.
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