Vosges: Mayor calls for total ban on smoking in vehicles

Following the recent unprecedented fires that have affected the region, Pascal Parmentalat, mayor of the commune of Laveline-du-Houx (Vosges), is recommending the adoption of legislation completely banning smoking in vehicles.

The mayor is calling for the smoking ban to be extended to all occupants of the car, a measure he considers "common sense" and feasible, given that it is already forbidden to smoke in a vehicle in the presence of children under 12.[1].

A measure to prevent fires from breaking out

According to Pascal Parmentelat, this ban would prevent a large number of fires from starting. A survey carried out by the group Vinci and the Ipsos Institute shows 25,130 smokers throw their cigarette butts out of the window. The French National Federation of Firefighters also points out that 30,130 fires are caused by poorly extinguished cigarette butts.

In July 2022, the French commune of Langlade in the Gard had already introduced, by municipal decree, a similar but temporary measure, motivated by fire prevention. The decree restricted the use of tobacco in several public spaces and had been extended to private vehicles.

In addition to preventing many fires, banning smoking while driving would reduce pollution caused by cigarette butts. Each year, it is estimated that 25,000 tonnes of cigarette butts are thrown into nature in France, making cigarette butts the number one waste collected in nature.

A ban already in force in other countries, motivated by health risks

The ban on smoking in private vehicles where minors are present is already in place in several countries, such as England, Scotland, New Zealand, Bosnia-Herzegovina and France. A ban motivated by the health risks of passive or ultra-passive smoking, particularly for children. Indeed, smoking in a car can create pollution levels up to 35 times higher than those deemed acceptable by the WHO. According to a 2009 study[2], in smokers' cars, the concentration of carbon monoxide is two to three times higher than that of a traffic jam at rush hour. Opening the window is not enough to dissipate all the smoke and toxic fumes.

Keywords: fire, vehicle, smoking ban, environment, cigarette butts, passive smoking

©Tobacco Free Generation

AE

[1] Yves Quemener, Fire risk: Should smoking while driving be banned? The mayor of Laveline-du-Houx (Vosges) proposes to pass a law to punish smokers in cars, France 3 Régions, published on August 17, 2022, consulted on August 18, 2022

[2] Jones MR, Navas-Acien A, Yuan J, et al, “Secondhand tobacco smoke concentrations in motor vehicles: a pilot study”, Tobacco Control 2009;18:399-404.