Vaping in cars carrying anyone under 18 will be banned in England under government plans to reduce the harm caused by smoking and e-cigarettes.
The move is included in the tobacco and vapes bill, which will also outlaw smoking, vaping and using heated tobacco in playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals.
Smoking in cars containing children and young people up to the age of 18 has been illegal in England since 2015. The new legislation will extend that prohibition to the use of vapes and heated tobacco.
“No child in a playground or hospital patient should suffer because someone else chooses to smoke,” said Wes Streeting, the health secretary.
“Secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease and lung cancer and we want to protect children and the sick from harm.”
The Department of Health and Social Care said that the measures it is proposing are needed to protect health given the growing evidence about the dangers of heated tobacco and vaping.
It said: “Evidence is emerging that emissions from heated tobacco and secondhand vapour from vapes pose health risks. At the same time, youth vaping has risen sharply in recent years, raising concerns about nicotine addiction and long-term health effects.”
The bill does not include a ban on smoking outside pubs. It also exempts smoking or vaping in care homes, hospices, mental health hospitals and residential schools.
The measures are subject to the outcome of a public consultation, which launched on Friday and will run for 12 weeks until 8 May.
The health campaign charity Action on Smoking and Health said ministers were right to explore the possibility of outlawing vaping in cars carrying under-18s.
Caroline Cerny, ASH’s deputy chief executive, said: “This consultation, and the wider legislation it is part of, is focused on protecting children. Although exposure to secondhand vapour is significantly less harmful than secondhand smoke, it is reasonable to consider whether steps should be taken to minimise any potential risk – particularly in small, enclosed spaces such as cars where children are present.
“A balance needs to be struck in these regulations between protecting children and ensuring adults who smoke are still supported to switch to vapes. The consultation process should help the government strike that balance.”
Prof Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, 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.”
