Secondhand Smoke For a Minor

Secondhand Smoke for a Minor 

By Lucas Codispoti - YMCA Arlington - Washington-Lee 

  

Secondhand Smoke is a rising topic of debate at this year’s MGA conference, as it has not been touched on much in past years. Friday evening, Commonwealth Bill No. 24 was presented by Savannah Buckmaster from East Rockingham High School. If the bill were to pass, smoking a tobacco product with a minor present in a vehicle would result in a civil penalty; the offender would be fined $100. In an interview following the vote, Savannah mentioned how “Breathing in secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart attack and how it affects the heart and blood systems immensely.” Chairman of the Commonwealth House Committee on Public Safety, Kyle Fisher, from Spotswood High School, explained how although this wasn’t on the top of the list for laws that needed to be past to help Virginians, he indicated that it is something that should be brought to light, and sees the grave consequences on children’s health secondhand smoke brings.  

  

 

  

On average, there are roughly 34,000 premature deaths from secondhand smoke per year, and 9 of 10 people with substance abuse issues began by smoking some form of tobacco. This bill aims to save lives as well as protect children under 18 from being in a position where they are not capable of removing themselves from the situation. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has conducted studies on the effects of tobacco use and how it affects children under 18, they recommend that no child should be in a car when tobacco smoke is present, even when the windows are rolled down (2018). 

  

The remaining questions to be asked is how will the decision be regulated on whether someone is smoking or not when there is no true enforcement position in place. One thing for certain though, is that the bill was introduced very professionally and effectively which allowed it to gain a lot of support during committee. 

  

“Get The Facts on Tobacco Use Prevention and Control”, Smoking and Tobacco Use, Centers for Disease Control, November 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/index.htm?s_cid=osh-stu-home-nav-005