• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Smoking in Cars

What do you think about smoking in cars?


  • Total voters
    41

Wake

Banned
DP Veteran
Joined
Oct 31, 2010
Messages
18,536
Reaction score
2,438
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Undisclosed
Earlier today I heard a conversation about Arkansas, and the illegality of smoking in cars with the windows up. According to them, it's illegal to smoke in a car with children that are, iirc, 6 years of age or younger? I don't know which law this is, and have beeb searching for it to find out exactly what the law entails.

I have this link that seems to support the conversation I heard: Law on smoking in car with children could change Arkansas - The Debate Team - BabyCenter

Assuming this is true, I have no problem with the law.

In fact, I'd like to see smoking in cars with the windows up completely banned, because I've heard 2nd/3rd-hand smoke is pretty dangerous.

Would you like to see this law applied for the whole country? What do you think?
 
...In fact, I'd like to see smoking in cars with the windows up completely banned, because I've heard 2nd/3rd-hand smoke is pretty dangerous...

tobacco is legal.

until its illegal, folks have the right to smoke in their own home or in their car.
 
Would you like to see this law applied for the whole country? What do you think?

It's a terrible idea and would make a terrible law. Tobacco is a legal product, a car is a person's private property. You want to make arguments of harm, and I think there could be arguments made. But the overall intrusive nature necessary for the government to carry out the execution of this law would not justify the end result.
 
DWWU.....Driving While Windows Up
 
It's a terrible idea and would make a terrible law. Tobacco is a legal product, a car is a person's private property. You want to make arguments of harm, and I think there could be arguments made. But the overall intrusive nature necessary for the government to carry out the execution of this law would not justify the end result.

What should be done if a parent has the car windows up, is smoking, and has two children in the back seat?
 
Although its a really stupid idea to smoke in your car with little ones.... Smoking is legal. A car and a home are private property.

Im a smoker.. I dont smoke in my home, because my husband is a non smoker, so I go outside on the porch. I dont smoke in my car, because my daughter is often with me and because i hate the way it makes my car smell and the film it puts on my windows. But that is MY choice.
 
What should be done if a parent has the car windows up, is smoking, and has two children in the back seat?

by that logic, we should also make it illegal to smoke in your home when there are children around.
 
Although its a really stupid idea to smoke in your car with little ones.... Smoking is legal. A car and a home are private property.

Im a smoker.. I dont smoke in my home, because my husband is a non smoker, so I go outside on the porch. I dont smoke in my car, because my daughter is often with me and because i hate the way it makes my car smell and the film it puts on my windows. But that is MY choice.

we allow parents to expose their kids to bad foods, bad drinks, bad habits of all kinds. Parents have the right to be poor parents, and that includes smoking around their kids.
 
What should be done if a parent has the car windows up, is smoking, and has two children in the back seat?

Nothing, mind your own business.
 
I don't smoke. Except for 3 weeks in high school when I tried it and found that it did nothing for me, I have never smoked. I also do understand the health issues with smoke and second-hand smoke. Having said that, I think we have gone way overboard in this country regarding smokers and smoking, and I actually believe that we need to lighten up a bit.

Either that, or quit doing this ridiculous dance and make it illegal completely... though I would still favor lightening up (no pun intended).
 
Nothing, mind your own business.

but these kind of people always know what is best for us and insist there should be a law to regulate our behavior
 
tobacco is legal.

until its illegal, folks have the right to smoke in their own home or in their car.

Two logical fallacies in one!

1. False dilemma - you must either make tobacco completely illegal or you allow it's use anytime, any place, no middle ground.

2. Circular argument - we're discussing whether to make tobacco illegal in certain circumstances, so just saying "it's legal" is pointless.
 
It's a terrible idea and would make a terrible law. Tobacco is a legal product, a car is a person's private property.

So could you force your children to smoke, in your car?
 
but these kind of people always know what is best for us and insist there should be a law to regulate our behavior

Lots of people want more government in our lives. Particularly those who call themselves small government conservatives....they're usually for the largest expansions of government. But it doesn't make it right. Second hand smoke is harmful. The information is out there as well. But so long as tobacco is legal, then I don't see it as proper government force to prevent people on or in their own property from smoking. And I hate the smoking bans in bars and such too. Love the results because I don't smoke, but the method by which the results were obtained is not worth it.
 
so if a guy decides to smoke one cig., just one time in his car with his kids in the back, he should get a fine or go to jail?

sorry, that's nanny-state bull****.
 
So could you force your children to smoke, in your car?

Why do I care what you do to your kids? There are legal restrictions on age of smoking and blah blah blah. But I don't see how forcing kids to smoke follows from the argument. Rather it seems like an absurd hyperbole to deflect from the topic.
 
we allow parents to expose their kids to bad foods, bad drinks, bad habits of all kinds. Parents have the right to be poor parents, and that includes smoking around their kids.

I agree. People have the right to do a lot stupid stuff, its called freedom. Like I said. I personally chose not to, but I believe that its no ones business what you do in the privacy of your home or vehicle (so long as it is within the law).
 
Last edited:
Two logical fallacies in one!

1. False dilemma - you must either make tobacco completely illegal or you allow it's use anytime, any place, no middle ground.

2. Circular argument - we're discussing whether to make tobacco illegal in certain circumstances, so just saying "it's legal" is pointless.
Most times I would agree with you on these points, but this time I think they're off-base. Regarding smoking, smokers are constantly hammered hammered hammered... if it's not one thing, it's another... then it's something else... yada yada yada. It more of a collective consideration where people say... "Geez, give it up and be intellectually honest and make it completely illegal then. Don't just chip away at it."
 
we allow parents to expose their kids to bad foods, bad drinks, bad habits of all kinds. Parents have the right to be poor parents, and that includes smoking around their kids.

But there's a limit to that.

Exposing children regularly to pretty much any other harmful substance could be grounds for child abuse charges. Why not smoke?
 
Most times I would agree with you on these points, but this time I think they're off-base. Regarding smoking, smokers are constantly hammered hammered hammered... if it's not one thing, it's another... then it's something else... yada yada yada. It more of a collective consideration where people say... "Geez, give it up and be intellectually honest and make it completely illegal then. Don't just chip away at it."

Huh?

My points stand.

I don't care if smokers are getting hammered. They deserve to be. Exposing children to harmful fumes should be illegal.
 
But there's a limit to that.

Exposing children regularly to pretty much any other harmful substance could be grounds for child abuse charges. Why not smoke?

and who gets to decide exposure to how many cigs. counts as child-abuse?
 
I think Arkansas is doing the right thing. Who gets to speak up for the kids in the back seat who have to inhale those toxic fumes? 5+ years of damage to those kids would probably be pretty bad, right?
 
I agree. People have the right to do a lot stupid stuff, its called freedom. Like I said. I personally chose not to, but I believe that its no ones business what you do in the privacy of your home or vehicle (so long as it is within the law).

No, it should be illegal to expose children to harmful fumes. You are not free to do that.
 
Back
Top Bottom