Bangor, Main was the first municipality to ban smoking in cars when children (under age 18) are present. Wolfville, Nova Scotia followed with the same restriction effective June 2008. On both sides of the border, the offense is punishable by a $50 fine. According to New Jersey GASP (Group Against Smoking Pollution), California, Louisiana, Puerto Rico and South Australia have banned smoking in vehicles that transport children, and Maine, New Jersey, Oregon, Texas, Vermont and Washington ban smoking in cars that transport foster children. The reasons for a smoking ban are obvious. In the closed space of an automobile, the concentration of smoke is many times higher than found in what used to be smoky bars.

It is arguable that the bans are mere symbolism since they are difficult to enforce and small fines are not much of a deterrent to nicotine addicts. In British Columbia, however, the Campbell government means business. The Throne Speech promise to ban smoking in cars carrying children may seem vague, with no deadline and no details, but word has it that Finance Minister Carole Taylor will raise tobacco taxes in her budget on Tuesday, February 19th, with proceeds going to fund ROYP (Rat-Out Your Parent). According to Taylor, raising taxes to fund worthwhile programs satisfies her definition of revenue neutral. ROYP is the top secret government plan to get past trivial fines and hit smoking parents where it hurts.

Since the Campbell government was elected in 2001 it has been at odds with BC's Teachers. The 2008 Throne Speech once again poked them in the eye with a sharp stick by announcing that the College of Teachers would be given powers to remove the teaching certificates of incompetent teachers. No word yet on how that determination will be made, but similar punishment cannot be far behind for doctors, nurses, lawyers, judges and perhaps even premiers. That history makes the secret deal between BC's teachers and the Campbell government all the more surprising. It is rumoured that ROYP will work by having homeroom teachers ask for a show of hands each morning from students who have been exposed to second hand smoke in the confines of their parent's vehicle. Child protection workers will be on hand to immediately rush to the homes of the offending parents and begin investigations.

Some may be surprised that the move to protect children comes from Campbell who in 2001 stopped the Workers' Compensation Board from implementing regulations that were scheduled to go into effect on September 10th of that year to protect workers from exposure to second hand smoke. Seven years later the Campbell government finally moved to provide the protection it denied workers in 2001. On March 31, 2008, new tobacco legislation will finally come into force, banning smoking in indoor public places and work places, banning smoking near public doorways, windows, and air intakes, and limiting the display and sale of tobacco and tobacco products. True to form, the Campbell government excluded restaurants (including coffee shops) and bars from the ban on smoking near public doorways; regulation of patio smoking is up to each municipality. Since it took seven years to get to that half-hearted measure, speculation is that it may take until 2020 before the ban on smoking in cars that transport children is given any teeth. In the meantime, anti-smoking activists may take the fight to the kindergartens with a campaign to encourage children to call a child protection worker when they are exposed to toxic tobacco smoke in vehicles, a pre-emptive version of ROYP.