Us City Makes It Illegal To Smoke In Cars With Children Present

Jan 31 2007

BANGOR, Maine-The City Council approved a new law that prohibits people from smoking in vehicles when children are present.

The measure, which was approved Monday, goes into effect next week, making Bangor the first municipality in the state of Maine to have such a law. Similar statewide measures have been adopted in Arkansas and Louisiana and are under consideration in several other states.
 
The ordinance, which was approved by a 6-3 vote, applies to any motor vehicles on any public roads within the city. Violators face fines of up to $50.

An amendment that was added Monday to the original proposal makes the violation a primary offense, rather than a secondary offense. That means police can pull over vehicles if they see somebody smoking with anybody under 18 in the vehicle. If it were a secondary offense, police would have to stop the vehicle for some other reason, such as speeding.

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