Sir, – While I have no argument with the proposal to fine motorists who smoke in cars carrying children, I am somewhat startled by the last paragraph of your Editorial on the matter ("Smoking ban – when sharing isn't caring"December 21st). You say that "the instance of asthma and bronchitis among young people has been rising rapidly" . Common sense means that one cannot relate this rise to cigarettes, as the decrease in smoking makes this a non sequitur. You also quote an extraordinary statement by Prof John Crown suggesting that the toxic emissions from a single cigarette are greater than those from the emissions of a car's exhaust, which latter are known to cause unconsciousness and death within a few minutes in an enclosed area. – Yours, etc,
PADRAIG J O’CONNOR
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – Of course children’s health – and that of others – must be protected by having a smoking ban in cars, although the amount of time spent in cars is much less than the amount of time children spend in the home environment. Thus a smoking ban in the home where children from day one may be subjected to cigarette smoke produced by their parents and others is also urgently needed. In fact, a general ban should be introduced whereby smoking should be prohibited whenever other people are in close proximity to the smoker and likely to have the air that they breath contain such smoke. – Yours, etc,
IVOR SHORTS,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.