State senator pushes for smoking ban while kids are in cars

the truth is there is a lot of fiction being told about the affects of 2nd hand smoke. Nobody but the actual smoker is ingesting all those chemicals. A simple blood test proves that. .5% of non smokers get lung cancer. .6% of non smokers that lives with a smoker get lung cancer. These are facts not the hype going on in the government and media

I am not saying this is a bad idea, but should this be legislated?  Who else thinks this would be a little difficult to enforce?  What types of penalties would there be for something like this?  Do we really want the government getting MORE involved in directing our behaviors?  I do agree that this is a good idea, but I think legislating it is probably a waste of time and resources.

This is kind of where the gun-people are going when they say, "If we allow them to start modifying our rights, they will just keep inching away at them until we have none."

This anti-smoking legislation started innocently enough, but is rapidly advancing toward an outright ban?

I am not condoning this in any means, I am adamantly opposed to smoking in any place, for ANY reason, by ANYONE.  It kills people.  I am not sure that it is my right to tell them they can't do it, but it IS my right to vote and advocate against it, as I do anything that causes people harm. 

Enough of Government invasion,  I don't smoke but I don't believe that Government has the right to tell people what they can or can't do.  They are taking away to many of our freedom and rights.  My parents smoked when I was young in the car in the house, and all of us kids are fine.   Enough of the Nanny state.

So when will cigarette smoking become totally illegal?  After all, as taxpayers, we still continue to support subsidies for tobacco growers (http://farm.ewg.org/progdetail.php?fips=00000&progcode=tobacco).  Why must we financially support something that we're only, then, going to turn around and ban?

I think it should be left up to the parent/caregiver to make the determination to smoke or not to smoke.  I have my personal choice (having grown up around two chainsmokers who shared that trait with friends and family alike and who have suffered the medical consequences of their decisions) but I don't think it should be legally mandated if we are still continuing to subsidize this crop that does so much harm.  That makes no sense to me.

I'll all but guarantee you that, if the subsides were removed, so would most of the smokers!  No one would be able to smoke except for the rich 1% elite.

And, while I respect those of you who do smoke but determine to not smoke in the car, unless you are going significant distances in the car with your children, I doubt it'd have too much of an impact on their heath because the smoke clings to your body and clothes and everything that you own.

I grew up with five brothers and sisters, my parents smoked like it was their last one everyday! We would get in the car and they both would light up. I, as a kid would put my mouth in the crack of the window to get air! All of my sibling and myself  have respiratory problems today, some worse then others! My one sister is now dying of it in her fifty's. I have NEVER smoked, try it, hated it!  Do what you want to yourselves! But "PLEASE" think about your children first and not just yourself!!!!

Here we are again, and a  dyed-in-the-wool "do gooder" Leftist is going to legislate morality upon us all.  Now don't get me wrong about this:  I abhor the thought of anyone (even kids) being stuck in the car with a smoker and the windows rolled up, but is it really the place of government to legislate to that level?  I'm not asking if they CAN, but rather if they SHOULD.

I say No.  Government is over-reaching enough in so many ways.

Next week I'll say the same sort of thing about a Holier-than-thou religious extremist, so don't even try to jump me on that account.  the Religious Right foams at the mouth to protect their religion while the Rabid Left's love of government IS their religion.

Driving is a licensed activity.  Make it so that you cannot talk on the phone, text, browse the web, smoke, drink and whatnot.  No problems there.  

I wonder how many people on KATU still think smoking cause zero problems.

Lets remove this control freak from our state senate... We have enough laws on the books, it's time government keeps out of family business..  Sure, smoking in the car is not a good idea, neither is McDonalds , Chuckie Cheez's  and many other things.. But one thing we don't need are people in the state senate controlling out lives..

I can't say that I disagree with the reasoning behind it but do we need another nanny state feel good law?

Are we going to be consulting with Mayor Bloomberg on what to ban next?  Hey I know, let's ban plastic bags too.  What?  Oh.  Never mind.

Just another stupid law that will not be followed by those who already have no regard for laws.  And for the rest of the smokers, the responsible ones with common sense, already do NOT smoke when their kids are in the car, or when other non smoking friends are in the car.  There really are people left who have common sense and courtesy towards others.

I am in agreement with the proposed law as written. So long as it doesn't become a 'primary offense', as in you can be pulled over for suspicion of that alone. 

Under the heading of 'too selfish to care', there are smokers out there who don't think twice about lighting up with 1,2 or 3 kids in the car. Pouring down rain, windows up. The end result can be anything from cronic emphysema to lung cancer because a child was unlucky enough to have a parent who cares more about their addiction than their kids well being. Just as it's considered child endangerment to leave a child alone in a car, or leave a sleeping child home alone while you run to the store at 3 am, and for the same reasons, there needs to be consequence in the hope that perhaps a few breeders can be urged to consider someone other than themselves. 

Personally, I'd rather they include it in the existing statutes regarding child endangerment. 

Lets see its ok to text and talk on a cell phone, drink coffee, read a paper or kindle while driving but smoking and driving is more dangerous. Typical Oregonian.

I believe that this nanny law would be unenforceable.  What are they going to do?  Run smoking with kids in the car stings? Unbelievable.

I agree that for the most part laws define the rules we live by after all, we live in a republic. Driving while talking on the phone is illegal and yet I bet half the cars I look at have someone talking of the phone or texting. I'm amazed that a large number of them have children in the car as well. I think we should really pass a law that says you cant talk on the phone, text and smoke at the same time your holding your beer between your knees  when you have a child in the car. That'l solve the problem and protect those damn kids once and for all. In doing so maybe this fine senator can get back to work and do something productive.

We have no problem leaving children in homes where they are beaten, molested, live in filth, have parents that use meth, heroin, cook meth, grow weed. But should a parent have a smoke, good go look out.  When these politicians actually show that they care about children by addressing these issues i will listen to their proposals.

How about a law making sure folks get their kids the required vaccinations, or is that important enough for her? And I agree with others that indicate her bill would be really unenforceable by law enforcement. By the time the officer got up to the car to speak with the driver about the perceived violation, she/he could have lit a cigarette! Being pulled over on a traffic stop is really traumatic for some folks, and the first thing they stick in their mouth is a cigarette.....sometimes followed by a stick of gum in case they've been drinking a bit!

 I was against the helmet law and seatbelt laws. It should be a choice. Wrong choice and some of the herd is  thinned out.

Let me see if I got this right, we got a left leaning woman that believes that it's OK to kill an unborn child, however, you can't smoke around a child that was allowed to be born, even if it's your.  I'm not trying to make this a political rant, however, the left has made it quite clear that women have the right to chose, however, just not smoke. While I believe as an ex-smoker I wish I'd never started, when I smell clinging smoke on someone who'd been out for a smoke, I realize I'm ashamed for all those I'd offended in the past for smoking. Passing a law that says you can't smoke in a car with a child will only provide a path for a law that will tell you what you can and can't do in your own home. If you don't believe some things in life are right and doing the right thing, just for the sake of doing it, even though no one will ever know, then what will passing this law actually mean? Will this law make a difference? Can this law be enforced? Is this law constitutional?. Character is a is a trait long lost in today's society. If you say your sorry then all forgiven. But do you do the right thing just for the sake of doing it?   Passing a law for the perfectly obvious will just be another feelgood law that can't be enforced.  Bummer, I'd hoped she could have found something other than trying to make us all feel good so spend her time on. People that smoke are hooked, they do what they do because they don't have the courage to endure the battle to quit and win. Will passing this law actually make people quit smoking? I don't think so.  You'd think just seeing the way people look at you for smoking would be enough but, it's not. Here's an original idea, let's raise the tax on cigarets until no one can afford to smoke. Oh yea, that's already been tried.

Sorry for ranting, but, now I feel better.

Hey, Ms. Steiner. Wish you could expend as much energy on other issues more pressing to the state like the PERS fiasco. Or, how about passing laws that make DHS accountable to the kids in thier charge if you really cared. Or how about making parents accountable for the food stamps they get by - actually spending the funds on stuff for thier kids. Its not a bad idea - just one that needs to be taken up after you do some real legislating that helps kids more. 

Whether you are for it or against it, who is going to enforce the law?  I'd rather have the cops busting idiots driving while using cell phones rather than these people.   Besides, the law won't stop anyone from doing it.  If they want to smoke, they will.  I also don't like the government enacting more and more laws like this.    There are things a lot worse than this when it comes to children.  How about sterilizing women who have drug babies?   These worthless people are doing more harm to their kids than smokers.  Of course if we did that, every two bit do-gooder out there will scream foul.

I'm a smoker and I completely agree with this. 

Anyone that does this DESERVES to lose their children.

Does this include marijuana ?