Oct. 23 (UPI) — With the passage of a law last week that makes it illegal for people to smoke in a privately owned car with minors present in the vehicle, Honolulu has become one of the few major cities in the United States to enact such a ban.
The Honolulu ordinance also applies to electronic cigarettes. Violators of the law will be subject to a $100 fine for a first offense, $200 for a second offense if within one year of the previous offense, and $500 for a third offense if within a year of the second offense.
“Police officers would be on the lookout for people smoking in vehicles,” said Honolulu Council Chairman Rod Menor, according to KHON-TV.
Similar laws have been passed in other areas of Hawaii.
Eight states, including Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Maine, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Virginia have state-wide bans on smoking in vehicles with children present. The age of the child ranges between under eight, like in Vermont and Virginia, and under 18, like in California and Oregon.
According to a 2012 study published in Pediatrics, 48 percent of parents who smoke said they smoked in their vehicle with their children present.
