FAQ's and Quick Facts

Why was Campaign for a Smoke-free Ride launched?

Campaign for a Smoke-free Ride was launched to urge parents not to smoke in their car when children under 16 are passengers. The campaign is designed to give parents who smoke the encouragement and support to give their kids a smoke-free ride.

Why is smoking in the car so harmful to children?

Smoking in the car exposes children to harmful chemicals in higher concentrations than in any other environment. Because their bodies are still developing, children are especially vulnerable to the poisons in second-hand smoke. Children also have less developed immune systems and a higher vulnerability to serious smoke-related illnesses.

What are the effects of smoking when children are in the car?

Smoking in the car with children exposes them to an increased risk of developing serious illnesses:

• Asthma and worsening asthma symptoms
• Bronchitis, pneumonia and respiratory tract infections
• Middle ear infections
• Increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or crib death
• Behavior issues and decreased attention and comprehension
• Slow lung growth
• Increased risk of cancer and heart disease in adulthood

Why is second-hand smoke so harmful?

Second-hand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including more than 50 that are known or suspected carcinogens. Second-hand smoke has been classified as a human carcinogen by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, the U.S. National Toxicology Program, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Is there a way to reduce the harmful effects of smoking in the car?

There is no safe way to smoke in the car. Whether you keep the window rolled down, blow smoke out of the window, use air fresheners or filters, or only take a few puffs, your children are exposed to the risk of developing serious illnesses. The only way parents can protect their kids from the dangers of second-hand smoke in the car is by not smoking in the vehicle.

Is it harmful to smoke in the car when my children are not present?

Although second-hand smoke poses the greatest danger to your children’s health, potentially toxic chemicals can cling to the fabrics and other surfaces of the car.  In a recent study, researchers found that second-hand smoke can remain in contaminated dust and surfaces, even if smoking took place days, weeks or months earlier.

Isn’t there a law about smoking in the car?

On January 21, 2009, also known as Weedless Wednesday, Ontario joined Nova Scotia and British Columbia to became the third province in Canada to enact legislation to ban smoking in cars when children are present. For information about the law, its enforcement, and penalties, please visit the Ministry of Health Promotion at http://www.mhp.gov.on.ca or by calling the Service Ontario INFOline: 1-866-396-1760.

Who will enforce the legislation and what are the penalties?

For information about the law, its enforcement, and penalties, please visit the Ministry of Health Promotion at http://www.mhp.gov.on.ca or by calling the Service Ontario INFOline: 1-866-396-1760.

How does smoking affect the province of Ontario?

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and illness in Ontario. There are approximately 13,000 tobacco-related deaths each year in Ontario. Tobacco-related diseases cost the Ontario economy at least $1.6 billion in healthcare annually, result in more than $4.4 billion in productivity losses, and account for at least 500,000 hospital stays each year.

QUICK FACTS:

• There are more than 1.7 million smokers in Ontario (aged 15+ years)
• Tobacco is the number-one cause of death in Ontario, accounting for 44 deaths per day
• Second-hand smoke contains 4,000 chemicals, including more than 50 that are known or suspected carcinogens
• Chemical concentrations are up to 27 times greater in the car than in the home of a smoker—and can be more than 20 times as toxic.
• Second-hand smoke in a vehicle can reach concentrations at least 13 times higher than those outdoors—even with the windows open.
• Tobacco use is responsible for 83-90% of all cases of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• 14.4% of youth in grades 7 - 12 reported using cigarettes in the past year

Tobacco-related diseases account for:
• $1.6 billion in direct healthcare costs
• At least 500,000 hospital days annually
• $4.4 billion in productivity losses each year

Among adult smokers in Ontario:
• 62% of adult smokers intend to quit smoking within six months
• 32% intend to quit smoking within 30 days
• 43% made a serious attempt to quit smoking over the course of a year