Drive Smokefree

“Thousands of New Zealand kids will have memories of sitting in the back of the family car being blasted with second-hand, stinky, smelly, cigarette smoke -  and it’s a memory  every child can do without!” says Skye Kimura, Tobacco Control Advisor for the Cancer Society.

“Today is World Smokefree Day, the perfect time to reflect on our successes in becoming a Smokefree Aotearoa by 2025, and the perfect time to look at the important challenges ahead.”

The Cancer Society is keen to see legislation to ban smoking in cars where children are present.

“We have a commitment to Protecting our Children, and smoking in cars is not only unhealthy for children (and the smokers) but it does a lot to normalise smoking. We are delighted to see Labour’s Associate Health Spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway, has come out on World Smokefree Day, strongly in favour of a policy to protect children from second-hand smoke in cars.”

Mr Lees-Galloway has indicated he supports such a policy and will take steps to advance it as opportunities come up.