End Smoking in Cars with Children Present
Secondhand Smoke = Firsthand Consequences
In Oklahoma, it’s still legal to smoke inside cars when children are present. Our kids are suffering. It’s time for a change.
Secondhand smoke contains thousands of harmful chemicals. It’s proven to cause heart disease, stroke and an array of adverse health effects.
Children are particularly vulnerable. Their lungs aren’t fully developed, so exposure to secondhand smoke leaves them at greater risk for serious health issues, including:
- Respiratory illness
- Ear infections
- Lung infections
- Asthma attacks
- Bronchitis
- Cancer
In fact, a Stanford research study showed that smoking just half of one cigarette in a vehicle can produce secondhand smoke levels 10 times higher than the hazardous limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Even with the windows cracked or rolled down, toxin and carbon monoxide levels are still dangerously high.
WHY ACT NOW?
Taking steps to protect our children today is critical to their future. The more secondhand smoke kids are exposed to, the greater their risk of tobacco addiction later in life.
Youth smokers are also more likely to develop severe levels of nicotine addiction compared to adults, leading to continued tobacco use — and long-term health issues — as they grow older.
HOW OKLAHOMA STACKS UP
Many states, cities and counties have already banned smoking in vehicles when children are present, including Arkansas and Louisiana. These states are saving the lives of their most vulnerable citizens.
Oklahoma’s tobacco control policies remain out of step with our neighbors’ and with current science… and the longer we wait to catch up, the further behind we fall.
An overwhelming majority of Oklahomans agree: smoking should not be allowed in vehicles when children are present. It’s time to get serious about protecting our kids.
Ready to join the fight? The time to help is now. Learn about how we can protect our youth. Your voice matters!