Total Smoking Ban in Cars?

Now it is getting ridiculous!

I should say from the outset that I am a smoker.

Okay, I agree with the whole no smoking around children thing. It's irresponsible and endangers children's health, so don't do it! What concerns me regarding the following news report is that some of the wording is not entirely centred on the issue of smoking around children. For example, "Health Minister John Hatzistergos said the government would support a parliamentary inquiry assessing a private member's bill proposing a complete ban on smoking in cars."

Oh, come on! If I want to slowly commit suicide by smoking in my own car then that is my problem, not anybody else's. As the article continues on to say there is no research that suggests that banning people from smoking in their own cars reduces road accidents.

Recently Australian governments have introduced laws which prohibit smoking within four metres of a doorway to public buildings, ten metres from a children's playground and other laws which centre around restaurants and pubs. I have a proposal though. If the governments in Australia are so concerned about how smoking negatively impacts on their citizens' health, how about a total ban on smoking anywhere? Let's prohibit the sale of cigarettes and tobacco completely. Despite being a smoker myself, I would actually welcome that.

Oh, hang on. There is one huge problem when it comes to a total prohibition on tobacco and cigarettes. The almighty tax dollar! Let's face it, governments rake in a lot of money through taxes placed on tobacco and cigarettes. Maybe they don't want to totally ban the sale of such products because it is a massive revenue booster.

Am I being too cynical here?

NSW govt to look at smoking ban in cars
Tuesday Feb 28 00:15 AEDT
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=64589

The NSW government supports a ban on smoking in cars containing children and says it will look at the issue when parliament resumes next week.

Health Minister John Hatzistergos said the government would support a parliamentary inquiry assessing a private member's bill proposing a complete ban on smoking in cars.

The bill was put forward by Christian Democratic party MP Fred Nile.

Mr Hatzistergos said the health department and non-government partners had run a campaign to stop parents smoking around young children in cars as well as at home, but the issue needed more public discussion.

"Most adults are responsible when it comes to their child's health but the few that smoke with children in the car are placing their child at considerable risk from passive smoking," Mr Hatzistergos said in a statement.

"I encourage open public debate on the issue and will look forward to the findings of the parliamentary inquiry."

Mr Hatzistergos pointed to World Health Organisation research that found children were particularly at risk from second-hand smoke because they were still developing and breathed faster than adults.

He said similar proposals to ban smoking in cars with children had been rejected in America and German for privacy reasons and because there was no evidence it reduced road accidents.

The ban was just one of several tobacco issues to be considered when parliament resumed, Mr Hatzistergos said.