Fresh response to the new British Medical Association briefing paper calling for an end to smoking in cars.

The new Smoking in Cars report from the BMA cites evidence that smoking in a closed vehicle exposes the occupants to large amounts of harmful chemicals, the doctors reported. Toxin levels are higher than in a typical smoky bar before smokefree legislation,, it is claimed, with children and the elderly said to be at particular risk.

Ailsa Rutter, director of Fresh, said: “Thousands of mums, dads and grandparents across the North East have made their cars and homes smokefree and we hope that more do so as a result of the growing awareness of the seriousness of this issue.

“We have not, as yet, called for a ban but welcome the fact that the harm of secondhand smoke is once again being discussed.

“Opening a window is not enough to stop children breathing in tobacco smoke. Children exposed to smoke in cars breathe in similar levels of cancer causing tobacco poisons to a busy, smoke-filled pub before England went smokefree.

 “We already do all sorts of things in cars to ensure our children have a safe trip, like putting our children’s seatbelts on and avoiding texting at the wheel, but 13,000 North East children need hospital or GP attention every year as a result of breathing in secondhand smoke and more needs to be done to protect them.”