Vaping to be banned in cars carrying children in new government crackdown

Vaping is set to be banned in cars transporting children under new government proposals.

The plan, currently subject to consultation, would also ban smoking, vaping and heated tobacco devices in children’s playgrounds and outside schools.

The Department of Health said the move aims to expand smoke-free environments, protecting children and vulnerable individuals from secondhand smoke.

While smoking will be forbidden outside hospitals and other health facilities, vaping will remain permissible there to support those attempting to quit.

All existing indoor places where smoking is already banned will become “heated tobacco-free and vape-free”, including workplaces, public transport and private vehicles carrying under-18s.

Outdoor areas near hospitality venues, such as bar, pub and restaurant gardens, will be exempt from the ban, alongside “wide-open public spaces” including beaches.

People would continue to be able to choose whether to smoke or vape in their homes or in private outdoor spaces.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “No child in a playground or hospital patient should suffer because someone else chooses to smoke.

“Secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease and lung cancer and we want to protect children and the sick from harm.

“Prevention is better than cure, so this government is taking pressure off the NHS and building a healthier Britain where everyone lives well for longer.”

According to the Department of Health, the consultation marks an “important step” towards implementing the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is progressing through Parliament.

The chief medical officer for England, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, said: “People who do not smoke but who are exposed to secondhand smoke can suffer significant harmful effects on their health, including an increased risk of asthma, poor birth outcomes, several cancers, stroke and heart disease.

“The health risks are greatest for children, pregnant women and people with medical conditions.

“No smoker wants to harm people, but with secondhand smoke they do – and these measures would reduce the harm secondhand smoke causes the most medically vulnerable in our society.”

The consultation will look at how outdoor boundaries will be set alongside possible exemptions, with the intention of making the rules proportionate and workable, the Department of Health said.

Business minister Kate Dearden said: “These are targeted proposals to protect children and families from secondhand smoke and vaping, without placing extra pressure on pubs, restaurants or the wider hospitality sector.

“We have been clear that we will support businesses, and after listening to their concerns, we have excluded outdoor hospitality spaces from these changes.”

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation, said: “No child should have to walk through a cloud of deadly secondhand smoke on their way to the classroom or playground, nor should any patient be exposed to harm on hospital grounds.

“We strongly support the Government’s consultation and the landmark legislation behind it, and we call for urgent implementation to protect everyone from harm.”

Cancer Research UK’s executive director of policy and information, Dr Ian Walker, said: “We support the UK Government taking action to create a smoke-free future and protect the most vulnerable in society.”

UK Hospitality has been contacted for comment.