I think this is outrageous. They have already victimised and bullied smokers out of any kind of public space. They are treated like lepers, which, considering the billions of pounds they pour into the Exchequer every year, is gross hypocrisy. What about all the people who don't have children? Are they going to be protected from themselves? When are they going to intrude in the home or the street? What next? Drinking, eating fatty foods, not taking enough exercise? When will it end? It is no longer the nanny state, but the bully state. When you are a child, you can put up with this from your parents, but when you are an adult, you are SUPPOSED to be responsible for yourself. It is the thin end of the wedge; anyone can see that. I know a lot o f smokers, and none of them smoke around their children; either in their cars or their homes. Awareness of second-hand smoke is now so great, that the vast majority of smokers no longer smoke even in their own homes. It is not enough that they belabour us all the time about how we should live, what we should and should not do; now they are going to force us. Smokers know the risk they are taking - they make a personal choice, and they must take responsibility for it. It is the same with any kind of potentially dangerous activity, from going on a plane to engaging in dangerous sport. The powers that be should reveal their true agenda, that they want to stop everyone from smoking completely. But, as I said, they would not do this, because they would lose so much money in taxation. Sheer hypocrisy.

This article has ruined my day. I cannot believe we are even considering this sort of thing. It's my car, I paid for it, I pay the ridiculously taxed fuel to drive so therefore I get to smoke in it if I please, get it Doctor?

Where will this madness end? If this gets through parliament and made legislation, I have lost the last shred of hope I had for this country.

I, just can't get my head around this!! When the 'Government BUY MY Cigarettes!!!!' (Not that its ever likely to) Then maybe then they can tell me what and where to smoke them!! NOT!"

What about banning, women drivers putting on their makeup in the car whilst driving, men shaving in the same fashion, most white van drivers eating a 'big mac' swilling back a soft drink driving!! (You get the picture!) Eh surely these things are more dangerous!!!

I, for one will go to prison all the time if they do bring in this stupid law on banning smoking in my own car. At least you can still smoke in Prison!!

I don't smoke in my car, but I think everyone who wants to should not be stopped. It's their private property and, anyway let's not forget that smoking is legal. Cathy is right, this is bullying and it's outrageous in what is supposed to be a democracy.

I was having a nice, calm, relaxed day until I turned the television on and heard this latest outrage. My stress level went up and I immediately reached for a cigarette. One of the speakers was from the BMA and he said they wished to stop people from harming or killing themselves (I paraphrase). So, by that token, shouldn't all forms of transport be banned? Shouldn't cooking, sports, work (stress), bankers (stress), politicians (stress), cowboy workmen (dangerous and stressful) be banned? And I'm sure people can think of other examples. For goodness sake, with all this going on I need to smoke in order to retain some degree of sanity. I never smoke in my car if I have a passenger, unless that passenger is also a smoker and we agree to do so. I always warn people, before they get into my car, that I have been smoking in there. Funnily enough, not one of them has declined to accept the lift!

It is a pity that smokers have become such an easy target for those hell-bent on eroding the privacy of the individual. The BMA could better serve the general public, the police and A&Es up and down the country by putting its weight behind campaignes to repeal the 24-hours drinking laws and put a stop to cheap alcohol being sold in supermarkets. It should also start to put its own house in order with regard to almost daily reports of misdiagnoses, GPs refusing to visit the sick in their homes and the avoidable deaths, usually among the elderly, we hear about in the media. Life is hard enough these days without having the bully battalions telling us what we can and cannot do in our private domains. I am 74 and have smoked a pipe for 57 years and still run a good mile or two. Smoking may not do the smoker much good but excessive alcohol and incompetent medical practitioners are likely to seriously harm or even kill others.

I think it is a great idea to protect the most vunerable - our children. I think a ban on smoking in homes would be the next logical step and look forward to the day when it happens. Wont somebody think of the children?

I live alone and have no children. I don't smoke around friends who don't smoke, have a pocket ashtray so I don't impose my butts on anyone else and believe I should not impose my habit on others but should respect their choice. With all the talk on human rights, what about my rights to choose to smoke? I indulge in dangerous sports but no one seems bothered about the dangers to my health or the possible strain I might put on the NHS if I fall off when climbing. I'm much less likely to stop smoking if the government's attitude continues. "Educate" me, by all means, but don't tell me what to do. It's my life!

What next!
I like to smoke, I can cope with mother earth types pinching their children to make 'em cough and the dirty looks when they pass me smoking in the street. I can cope with not smoking in pubs - I just dont really go anymore. But I paid for my car, I pay for my insurance, I pay for my road tax, I pay for my fuel - £50 per week by the way, oh, and the servicing and MOT and general maintenance of my car. Since I also pay for my cigarettes, I truly hope this nonsence does not become reality.

A (non-smoking) friend posted this link on facebook: http://normallydistributed.wordpress.com/2011/11/17/behind-the-smokescreen/ which gives me some hope. Not much, but a little.

I support the idea of a ban on smoking in cars where there are passengers, especially minors. I can remember my parents smoking in the car and myself feeling nauseous as a result, not to mention the risk on my health this posed. It should be OK for am smoker in c ar by himself/herself, or with another smoker, to smoke; but to forced it on minors who have no real say in the matter, who are made to feel physically sick, and whose health is jeopardised, is wrong, and this should be outlawed.

The government crossed the line with the smoking ban. I cant even begin to describe what this latest joke is. Its my car, I'll do what the flip I like in it. Why are alarm bells not ringing in peoples heads. The government are supposed to rule for us, not over us. They pay more attention to overpaid quacks and beardy university types than the consensus opinion of the population. Smoking ban reform was top of the agenda when Clegg set up his online ideas page yet he refused to entertain the idea. Why? Its what the people wanted so do your job. In any other profession they would be sacked for not doing their job properly.

More to the point, and why are these problems not addressed?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/mar/22/air-pollution-deathshttp://www.second-opinions.co.uk/diesel_lung_cancer.htmlhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/nov/14/air-pollution-state-sanctioned-poisoning?INTCMP=SRCH

I want more said about the whole thing being dubious,consider all the research findings that have been found over the years ,the office of national statistics tell us that over the last 50 years the % of smokers in the uk has dropped by almost %50 no one would argue with that, BMA sasy that more should be done since lung cancer has risen by %80 over the last 40 years, these stats alonee make me doubtful. 30 years ago a documentary on tv was trying to discover why in France Spain and Greece who have a much higher % of smokers per capita than the UK lung cancer and heart disease hardly existed ,what has increased over these years is traffic pollution but no government in the westernised world want us to believe that the real cause of cancer is connected because traffic is the lifeblood of economy. I could spend some time here with other things that have been claim3ed but dont add up,but too many people have been brain washed and cant answer any of these questions but just say everyone knows its bad for you. My favourite question is should I hold a gun to ones head and give 3 choices (1) I pull the trigger now, (2) you must smoke 20 fags a day for the rest of your life or(3) you have to put your head near the exhaust pipe of a vehicle that has its engine running for just 10 minutes no one ever gives an answer its always rubbish! or divert back to what they keep hearing. when is someone going to seriously challenge these findings by researchers .

No smoking in cars! It had to happen did'nt it. But how is this going to be enforced? If smoking at the wheel is to be considered a road safety issue (as it surely will) then it's simple. the police can pull over a smoking driver and charge him with an offence. But what if the driver is not smoking, it is his wife puffing her toxic fumes all over the defenceless kids (as the antis would put it)? Then it is an infringement of the smoking ban, not a road safety issue, it's a civil matter, nothing to do with the police. Who'se job is it then to apprehend and charge the guilty party at 69MPH in the middle lane of the M6?

points out that while Big Tobacco's cpgaaimn against plain packaging is obvious doublespeak, the argument for plain packaging has no actual evidence to support its efficacy either.