I hate to start a political debate, but it just infuriates me when people complain about government easing in to their lives. You can't beat your children because it harms them, you shouldn't be allowed to smoke with them in a confined space either. There'* a reason we don't let kids smoke, they're developing and it is harmful to their health. Why would we NOT let them smoke, yet allow them to be subjected to smoke in confined spaces such as a car. Your kid doesn't BELONG to you, your kid is just under your care. It shouldn't be up to the parent whether or not to subject their children to harmful chemicals.

I'm a smoker, but when people create anti-smoking laws, I don't act like I'm being persecuted. I would never force someone to inhale smoke if they didn't want to. I guess I can't really talk about this since I would never ever ever ever smoke in my car, but losing the ability to smoke in my car isn't that big of a deal. If I'm so addicted to a substance that I can't wait until I'm in an open place to use it, obviously I have a problem. It gets to a point where people only smoke because they need to. Your body adapts to the nicotine, and smoking only levels you out, and gives you no positive affects.
tl;dr... Quit smoking, no more problem.

Side note: You need to be pro-government involvement, or anti-government involvement. Don't say "stop abortion" then say "allow cigarette smoking with young children in confined spaces." So what message are we sending, here? Don't kill a child before it'* born, wait until they're in your car?

Conclusion: I applaud this new law, and hope it kicks off in the states.

not sure if any of that was directed at me, but i never said i oppose the rule, in fact i agree that kids should not be subjected to secondhand smoke.
kids in their late teens however can make their own decisions. plus cops should not waste time with things like this when they could be put to better use (IMO)

It wasn't directed at you, and I agree with most of what you say. I don't think cops will be sitting in a speed trap checking for smokers, though. It'* probably one of those things they will tack on to a speeding ticket, or bust you if it looks blatantly obvious there is a young child in the car.

I disagree with a "generalized" statement that kids in their late teens can make their own decisions. I deal with grown adults every day that have no difficulty making bad decisions. In fact, if it weren't for bad choices I'd be out of a job! How can you suggest that an older teen with little life experience is okay to make these choices when so very many older people, who have much more life experience, can't make good choices (not referring to smoking specifically)? This is a perfect example of something that affects all of us. Whether we're subject to second hand smoke or paying into healthcare to take care of these people when their health fails, sooner or later we all pay. I pretty much okay with anything, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. This does, plain and simple. There is no accepted medical evidence to suggest that smoking is healthy or that it should be encouraged. There isn't even a little bit of gray area here.

As far as police enforcing this, I agree that there are many other things they could and should be doing. There is a long list of things they shouldn't have to do. As long as people persist in doing things that adversely affect others, this list isn't going to get any shorter.

I support this 250% in every way, shape and form.

I wish they'd put something like that into effect in this country.

ive always believed if people can tell me where to smoke i can tell em where to go to.

They aren't telling you where you can smoke. They are telling you where and when you can't smoke.

I'm torn on this one. I understand and agree with the "protect the children" part of the law. But, living in Minnesota, my car is the only place I am still allowed to smoke out of the weather.

Minnesota won't even let you think about smoking in a building other than your own home (I get the workplace an resturaunt part, but bars?? Who goes to a bar for anything healthy?). The Missus won't let me smoke inside the house, so I usually don't.

My car is my last climate controlled environment where I am allowed my admittedly stupid vice. But, even alone in my car the window is cracked just enough to cause it to suck the smoke out, not just swirl it around inside (a talent I learned when my first wife was pregnant and the smell of smoke made her sick, even though she smoked until she got pregnant). When my kids or wife are in the car, then know they can, and in fact are encouraged to, open their windows if the smoke bothers them. My mom would smoke with us in the cab of a pickup with the windows up and I hated it. If other people'* kids are in the car, I won't smoke just to avoid any hassles.

I do my damnedest to be as polite as possible with my bad habit. Even in public places where I am allowed to smoke, I try to move away from the crowd. If spot says "No Smoking", and I don't agree, I still don't smoke there. Stuff like that.

So, I look at this law as another "lowest common denominator" type thing. Everyone gets affected because of the morons who don't have the sense to crack a window, or wait a couple more minutes until you get where you're going.

So, as a smoker, I don't like the way no one has a problem with a law/tax that gets passed targetted just at us, but I can also understand the idea behind it. I hate those TV and radio ads that make it sound like even looking at someone smoking will kill you faster than a bullet to the head (my great grampa smoked all the way to the last day of his 102 years, and tended cattle all but the last 5 or 6 and was never hospitalized or bed-ridden) I also agree it would take more man-hours than it'* worth to enforce this law, trying to stop every parent who might light up with the kids in the car. They can't even enforce the child seat laws around here...

I didn't mean to ramble on this. What I basically meant was I see the merit of the law, but I also have a hard time saying I agree with it 100%. But, by the time MN decides to pass a similar law, my kids will both be grown and all I'll have to do is deal with The Missus....

I'm torn on the issue.

While I don't feel this needs to be made a law, I am all for not subjecting kids to confined smoking. Sadly it seems some people need this to be made a law for them to stop smoking the kids out.


Unless your driving on a highway that has absolutely no pull offs or exits, your never in a car long enough to warrant smoking with kids in the car.

You know... You make a valid point. Perhaps law enforcement should work on enforcing the laws they already don't before we start adding more?