The Bangor City Council has banned smoking in your car if there are kids there.
People who smoke with children present in the confined space of a car or truck might as well be deliberately trying to kill those children, said City Councilor Patricia Blanchette, who is a smoker.
“Let’s step up to the plate and lead; our children are worth the fight,” she said.
The ordinance, which was approved by a 6-3 vote, applies to any motor vehicles on any public roads within the city. Violators face fines of up to $50.
An amendment that was added Monday to the original proposal makes the violation a primary offense, rather than a secondary offense. That means police can pull over vehicles if they see somebody smoking with anybody under 18 in the vehicle; if it were a secondary offense, police would have to stop the vehicle for some other reason, such as speeding.
Like Doyce, I agree with the sentiment here. Second-hand smoke is unhealthy for people, probably especially for kids. That said — how many other unhealthy or dangerous acts are we going to ban or prohibit or fine? How many unwise actions are we going to punish by law? Heck, what about prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke in houses? Should smoking be banned in any house occupied by a child? What
about just having a 10 yard smoking ban around any kid? Or just outlaw the things altogether — after all, they’re harmful to adults, too.
Rrg. I suspect there are many more important (and even life-saving) things the Bangor City Council (and the police) could be doing than this sort of nanny state meddling.