The House of Lords has voted in favour of banning people from smoking in cars that contain children. The legislative amendments will be debated by the House of Commons next month, when MPs will be given a free vote on the matter.
Whilst this may be all very well and dandy for those who believe that single inhalation of someone else's smoke poses a threat to life and limb, it may not be such a good thing at all for everyone else.
In the event the legislation is passed, it grants the state the right to dictate what happens in a person's private space (a car's interior being such a space). Once the state has assumed that right, it will take the next logical step and seek to ban smoking in homes which have children.
It is not the state's role to act as parent to people's children.
I would also note that the fumes and gunk exuded by cars, lorries, buses and planes do far more damage to our lungs and health than the puffs of smoke from a third party's cigarette.
Meanwhile in other news I see that Sellafield (Windscale to those of us who are greying around the temples) is experiencing some "issues" today; don't worry though, they say it's perfectly safe!
Visit The Orifice of Government Commerce and buy a collector's item.
Visit The Joy of Lard and indulge your lard fantasies.
Show your contempt for Nanny by buying a T shirt or thong from Nanny's Store.
www.nannyknowsbest.com is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Visit Oh So Swedish Swedish arts and handicrafts
Why not really indulge yourself, by doing all the things that Nanny really hates? Click on the relevant link to indulge yourselves; Food, Bonking, Gifts and Flowers, Groceries
For your interest, I've just posted this on Mr. Redwoods Blog;
ReplyDeleteCars today, our homes tomorrow? Let’s start with local authority housing, right? How long before the four o’clock knocks start? “We have received reports from neighbours of the odour of burning tobacco emanating from these premises.”
A slippery slope? No fizzy drinks in cars with children on-board? Never going to happen? Let’s meet here again in five or so years and see how things are shaping up.
Think of the children? If it’s as dangerous to kids as the health zealots would have us believe, thus harming children, is it not already against the law to cause harm to children? Or would those big scary numbers they like to use just get ripped apart in court as pure fantasy?
Think of the children? Give this some thought; the more governments insist on trying to hold everyone’s hand, the less likely it will become that anyone will bother to learn to walk on their own. Or is that the plan?