The legislation protecting children under the age of 18 from breathing in second-hand smoke while riding in a vehicle was heard by a Minnesota House panel on March 17. The bill was allowed a hearing but not a vote, according to the Associated Press. A 2009 Senate version of the bill reduces the age to 16.
The state adopted the Freedom to Breathe act in 2007, which prohibits smoking in most indoor public places and indoor workplaces. But supporters of the smoke-free cars law say a more restrictive bill is needed to prevent child illnesses caused by secondhand smoke, such as bronchitis, pneumonia and ear infections.
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"Parents always swear they smoke outside only, but their clothing smells and you know it (happens) more than that," she said.
Malkasian keeps repeating to patients that children who are exposed to secondhand smoke have more complicated problems with asthma or ear infections, and sometimes require more medications and hospital admissions. While the problem may not be as rampant here as compared to Europe, she said, it still occurs and requires her to warn parents of its dangers.
Breckenridge Mayor Cliff Barth, a self-described "past parent and smoker," said he agrees with the bill - the less kids are exposed to smoke at a young age, the less likely chance they'll have of starting.
"I smoke as a citizen of the United States, and that's my choice," he said. "Once children are grown up and on their own, they can make their own decisions. But parents still need to make some decisions for them (now)."
Six states currently have passed the law.
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