Smoking cigarettes in a car with children......do you think it's right?
By Sarah1977
@Sarah1977 (495)
United States
April 1, 2007 10:11am CST
I see people every day smoking in their cars with their children sitting in the back seat. This just absolutely disgusts me. I feel so sorry for these innocent children who are being forced to inhale this smoke, which is proven to cause asthma and other breathing and sinus related problems, not to mention cancer.
A few weeks ago I saw a teenage girl driving, another teenage girl in the front passenger seat, and a baby sitting in the back seat. Both of the girls were smoking cigarettes, and the windows were only open a tiny crack (it was really cold outside). I know that I shouldn't have done this, but I pulled my car up next to them and motioned for them to roll down their window. One girl did, and I said to them "Maybe you should give the baby a cigarette...I don't think he's getting enough smoke from you two". They started swearing at me and putting up their middle fingers....acting just as juvenile as I expected them to.
Now I realize that I will most likely be receiving criticism from some people, but to be quite honest...I don't care. I know that I am right in my belief that forcing children to inhale second hand smoke is 100% wrong. I do not mean to offend anyone...I do believe that if a person wants to smoke, it is their right. However, it is not their right to impose harmful cigarette smoke on innocent people. Does anyone agree with me?
5 people like this
3 responses
@RogerTheRabbit (1271)
• Portugal
3 Apr 07
My parents were smokers before I was born. They stopped when my mother was pregnant of me. I think it was the right thing to do. But I still have some respiratory problems. Don't know if it was caused by the smoke or not.
@natalie1981 (1995)
• Singapore
1 Apr 07
TOTALLY! I'm glad you told them off. I'm not really the confrontational type or to put it another way, I'm a chicken when it comes to confrontations. I wouldn't have the same courage as you have to tell those girls off. For pete's sake, a baby?! A person does have the right to smoke but they should pollute their own air. Do it where they're the only ones who can inhale their poisonous smoke.
@Sarah1977 (495)
• United States
2 Apr 07
Honestly, I am not the confrontational type either, except when it comes to children. I hate to see children abused in any way.....and that is exactly what adults are doing when they smoke around children, abusing them. Thank you for responding!
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
1 Apr 07
I certainly agree with you. I think smoking in cars should be banned as it is hard to think that someone is giving their full attnetion to driving if they are smoking.
I think that parents should all be make to go to non smoking classes to learn how harmful it is for the children.
I am happy that it is now banned to smoke in public places in this country.
