I wanted to share some incredible news with you about our campaign to ban smoking in cars with children.
-More than 1500 people have watched our videos so far.
-Almost 90% of people who watched them and voted said YES to a ban
-People who wrote to their MPs are starting to get responses.
My MP, Jim Down of Lewisham West and Penge, has wrote back to say he has contacted Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to raise the points my letter put across, such as the fact that one in five children are exposed to second hand smoke in cars.
If you haven't already please do watch our videos. Actors Linda Robson (Birds of a Feather) and David Harewood (Homeland) have given their voices to the cause.
Just to say I had a reply from my MP within days as is normal for all these campaign emails, as he has an email webpage reply system. It could be also because I was involved in the asthma UK campaign which has been running for quite some time now.
just been reading your comment about mp letter. l can see where you are coming from concerning smoking in cars when children are present. but l think its gonna be a hard one to achieve because if the adults are not smoking in cars there smoking at home in the same room as children. lm not saying all are because they are not but the ones who are is the ones who will be against it .if they want to ban smoking in buildings regardless of what building there in and ban it in cars then they should close down the ciggerette factorys and then people would stand more chance of living and there wouldn't be so many deaths caused through smoking
We understand your concerns. We feel that if a ban was enforced that smokers would stop for a cigarette on their car journeys, as they would if they wanted a coffee. And that hopefully would encourage them to think more about the damage second-hand somoke is doing to their children in general and would hopefully have an effect of reducing smoking in the home.
We are concentrating on smoking in cars as children are particularly vulnerable to passive smoke in a car because they are strapped in a confined space. A smoking ban has already been introduced in public places and work vehicles to protect the health of adults, we would like to see that same protection for children in cars.
Unfortunately we are unable to fight all the battle and this is one that we feel could really make a difference to the 1 in 5 children who are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke.
I hope this helps clarify our position somewhat to you.
It absolutely can be done if enough of us let our elected representative know we want it. You can email yours through our website at blf.org.uk/Page/Linda-Robso...
I got a reply from my MP and although he showed support his wording was a standard letter reply which he has used on other causes I have been involved in. Sadly I just think the reply was full of empty words, I hope I am wrong but my gut says he's just verbalising without intention or genuine meaning. Still we must keep trying for the things we believe in. The world would be an even sorrier place if we didn't.
Keeping everything crossed that there are enough MPs who really do speak out and for the things that matter.
I also received a reply from my MP Julian Brazier. But he says that the government doesn't want to impose a law and will let people choose voluntarily ... so people can choose to inflict COPD on their child/ren! How good a government is that???
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