Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill giving local governments in Florida the authority to restrict smoking on public beaches and parks. The legislation, House Bill 105, was passed by the Florida Legislature in March and aims to protect the public from the health hazards of secondhand tobacco smoke.
Read moreFrance, a country with around 15 million smokers, has a lower proportion of smokers compared to the EU average, according to the latest figures from Eurostat. However, it is not uncommon to see drivers in France with a cigarette in hand while behind the wheel. This raises the question: is smoking while driving illegal in France due to the potential dangers it poses?
Read moreNew Zealand has announced a plan to ban cigarette sales to anyone born after 2008, effectively phasing out smoking for future generations. The law, expected to take effect next year, is part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce smoking rates and improve public health.
Read morePennsylvania State Senator Gene Yaw, R-Lycoming County, has introduced a bill that would impose fines on drivers who smoke in a vehicle with a child under the age of 13. The measure, Senate Bill 667, passed the Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday by a vote of 11-3.
Read moreAs of June 1, 2020, smoking in vehicles with passengers under the age of 18 is illegal in the state of Illinois. The law, which was passed in 2019, took effect at the beginning of this month, marking a significant step towards protecting children from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
Read moreThe Massachusetts Senate has passed a bill that would ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes, and impose a 75% excise tax on e-cigarettes. The legislation, which was approved by the state House earlier this month, is designed to combat the growing problem of underage vaping in the state.
Read moreFines Up to €1,000 Aim to Protect Minors from Passive Smoking
As of August 2019, smoking in a car with a child under the age of 16 has been illegal throughout Belgium, following the implementation of the ban in the Brussels region. Flanders and Wallonia had already adopted similar legislation earlier in the year.
Read moreGeorgia State Representative Sandra Scott, a Democrat and educator from Rex, has once again introduced legislation that would prohibit smoking in vehicles when a minor under the age of 14 is present. The proposed law, House Bill 17, would apply to vehicles both in motion and parked, making it a misdemeanor offense punishable by a $100 fine for violators.
Read moreAustria has joined the growing list of European countries taking steps to protect children and young people from the dangers of secondhand smoke in vehicles. As of 2018, a new law has come into force that prohibits smoking in cars when passengers under the age of 18 are present.
Read moreOhio lawmakers have introduced a bill that would make it illegal to smoke in a vehicle with a child present, but the proposed age limit for the child passenger would establish it as the weakest such law in the country. Senate Bill 106, sponsored by State Senator Charleta Tavares (D-Columbus), would impose a $500 fine for smoking in a car with a child younger than 6 years old.
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