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STATES OF JERSEY
PROTECTING CHILDREN BY EXTENDING SMOKE-FREE SPACES: RESPONSE TO PUBLIC CONSULTATION
Presented to the States on 25th April 2014 by the Minister for Health and Social Services
STATES GREFFE
2014 Price code: A R.53
2 REPORT
In response to the February 2014 report on the 2013 public consultation in Jersey, Protecting Children from Second-Hand Smoke', in consultation with the Council of Ministers, I have made a policy decision to bring forward a States proposition to amend the Restriction on Smoking (Jersey) Law 1973. Such an amendment to the primary Law will be to enable the creation of Regulations to prevent smoking in motor vehicles carrying children under the age of 18 years.
Introduction
On 20th February, the Health and Social Services Department released a report on the findings of a consultation Protecting our children from second-hand smoke', conducted during 2013. Based on 2,966 consultation responses, very strong support (87% of respondents overall; 75% of smokers) was expressed for the States of Jersey to do more to protect children from smoking, and specifically for a legal ban on smoking in cars carrying children under 18 years of age (76% overall, 55% of smokers). Many respondents considered it the right of every child to be protected from the harms of second-hand smoke.
This finding is complemented by the results of the 2013 Jersey Annual Social Survey, which concluded that 81% of Islanders, including 66% of smokers, favoured a ban on smoking in cars carrying children.
Given the very strong public appetite for a change in the law to protect children in cars from smoke, based on the Consultation Report as well as the JASS results, together with further supportive public responses and media reporting in the aftermath of the Report's publication, it is evident that there is an expectation that political action will be taken.
Accordingly, I shall be responding to the voice of Islanders by bringing forward, in the first instance, the necessary amendment to the primary Law.
R.53/2014