November 17, 2011   Drivers in the UK may be restricted from lighting up behind the wheel, if the country’s doctors have their way. A report released from the British Medical Association’s Board of Science calls on governments in the UK to impose a ban on smoking in vehicles as part of its overall effort to “achieve a tobacco-free society by 2035.” One of the primary reasons for the proposed ban is to cut down on people’s exposure to secondhand smoke, which is especially concentrated inside a vehicle. Experts estimate that 23 children and 4,000 adults die in Britain every year because of the health effects of secondhand smoke. A secondary concern is that fiddling with a cigarette is a dangerous distraction for drivers. Recent polls show some support for the doctors’ proposal – 88% of people in Ireland and 74% of people in England said they were in favor of a ban on smoking in cars carrying children. In addition, another report found that 56% of people in Britain support a blanket prohibition on smoking in vehicles. If a regulation is passed, it would be the first of its kind.

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