The legislation was passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament last year and aims to protect children and young people against the effects of passive smoking
Anyone caught breaking the law will be committing an offence carrying a fine of up to £1,000.
Aileen Campbell, Minister for Public Health and Sport, is pictured with Amber McEwan, aged 9, Christopher Pavlov, aged 4, Sevi Dick (in blue), aged 6, Ahnaf Talukder, aged 7
Picture: Alan Rennie
The measure is part of the government’s ambition to create a tobacco-free generation by 2034 which means that less than 5% of people would smoke by then.
Aileen Campbell, Minister for Public Health and Sport, said: “It’s simply not safe to smoke when a child is in the car. Dangerous levels of chemicals can build up, even on short journeys, and 85% of second-hand smoke is invisible and odourless so you can’t always see what they’re breathing in.
“We know for a fact that the poisonous chemicals in second-hand smoke are extremely damaging to our health. We also know that children breathe faster than adults, meaning they ingest more of the deadly toxins.
“This government is committed to protecting children from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. Our target to reduce the proportion of children exposed in the home from 12 per cent to six per cent by 2020 has been met five years early. The ban on smoking in cars will help to build on that success by reinforcing the message that the toxic fumes from cigarette smoke are harmful – particularly to children.”
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