Why California Law Must Protect Our Kids From Secondhand Smoke

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Jenny Oropeza
California State Senator

How many times have you ever had to hold your breath while walking out of a building because of a cloud of cigarette smoke?

Some may argue that you have the freedom to walk a different direction.

Or what about the type of hotel room you stay in?

Yes, you can opt to stay in a non-smoking room if available.

Now, imagine you are a child strapped – dare we say trapped? – in a car filled with cigarette smoke…

Do children really have a choice in making an adult put out that dangerous cigarette?

When California banned smoking in the workplace and, most notably, at restaurants and bars, the idea was to ensure that people were not forced to be exposed to a harmful environment.

That is because among the most important obligations of government is to protect its residents.

But how broad and how far that protection extends is at the center of many policy debates we have in America.

Earlier this year, I introduced Senate Bill 7, which would prohibit someone from smoking in a vehicle with a minor present. After careful thought and discussion, this bill has made its way through the California Legislature and now sits on the governor’s desk. He has until Oct. 14 to sign it, veto it or allow it to become law without his signature.

This legislation has gained the support of countless health advocates, several local governments, and columnists and newspaper editorial boards statewide. Organizations from the American Lung & Heart Associations to the American Cancer Society and the California Medical Association support this important legislation. Senate Bill 7 addresses an issue that is among the highest of priorities: protecting those that cannot protect themselves.