Lawmakers propose banning smoking in cars

EXPANDING NEW MEXICO S INDOOR SMOKING BAN TO INCLUDE THE INSIDE OF YOUR CAR — AT LEAST WHEN THERE ARE KIDS IN THERE STUART DYSON IS LIVE AT THE CAPITOL WHERE THE ANTI- SMOKING CRUSADE IS IN OVER-DRIVE THEY LL WRITE YOU A TICKET FOR TALKING ON YOUR CELL PHONE IN YOUR CAR - BUST YOU FOR DRINKING A BEER IN THERE - AND MAYBE SOON PULL YOU OVER FOR LIGHTING UP A SMOKE WITH A KID IN THE CAR THE FINES WOULD BE THE SAME AS THEY ARE FOR BUSINESSES THAT LET PEOPLE SMOKE INSIDE - STARTING AT ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS - GOING UP TO THREE HUNDRED THE IDEA IS TO PROTECT KIDS FROM SECOND-HAND SMOKE - NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF LUNG CANCER - THE SURGEON GENERAL SAYS IT CAN PUT KIDS AT RISK FOR RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS - ASTHMA - AND FOR BABIES - SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME You have a lot more room if you really think about it in a restaurant - to breathe - but you can imagine in a condensed car - and enclosed and continuous - the damage that that s doing HARVARD PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOOL SAYS AS MANY AS 45 PERCENT OF AMERICAN KIDS ARE ROUTINELY EXPOSED TO SECONDHAND SMOKE FROM GROWNUPS PUFFING AWAY AT HOME AND IN CARS LAWMAKERS IN WASHINGTON AND MINNESOTA ARE CONSIDERING SIMILAR BILLS - CALIFORNIA - MAINE - ARKANSAS AND LOUISIANA ALREADY HAVE THE LAW ON THE BOOKS AT THE CAPITOL STUART DYSON EYEWITNESS NEWS FOUR