YOUTH & TOBACCO NEWS - New Maine Law Prohibits Smoking in Cars with Children

Maine Governor John Baldacci signed into law a ban on smoking in any vehicle when children under the age of 16 are present. The new law gives Maine one of the toughest restrictions in the nation against exposing minors to secondhand smoke in vehicles. The law will take effect 90 days after the current legislative session adjourns. The legislation is modeled after a Bangor, Maine city ordinance that took effect last year and protects children up to age 18. For the first year the law is in effect, police can only issue written warnings for violations. However, after the first year, each violation could result in a $50 fine. During the bill’s public hearing, supporters of the law cited a national survey that showed children spend about an hour a day in a vehicle.

For more on this story from the Boston Globe, click here.

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