Smoking in cars with children in Northern Ireland now illegal

A cancer charity welcomed the new laws as a "significant move to a tobacco-free Northern Ireland"

A new law making it illegal to smoke in a car with children has come into force in Northern Ireland.

It brings the law into line with other regions of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

It is already illegal to smoke on public transport or to smoke in work vehicles used by more than one person.

Another new law, banning the sale of e-cigarettes and other nicotine inhaling products to anyone aged under 18, has also come into force.

Fines of up to £2,500 will be imposed by the PSNI and environmental health officers.

The PSNI has said police will take an educational, advisory and non-confrontational approach when enforcing the new legislation until the end of February 2022.

Ch Insp Graham Dodds said this would "see people initially given warnings rather than being issued with fines, which would give time for public awareness of the offences to build".

Primary cause

A cancer charity has welcomed the new laws as a "significant move to a tobacco-free Northern Ireland".

Naomi Thompson, from Cancer Focus NI, said the laws would "protect children's health" and reduce the perception for children that smoking is normal behaviour.

"We know that children who regularly see adults smoke are more likely to try smoking," she added.

Previously, Health Minister Robin Swann said tobacco use remained a primary cause of preventable ill-health and premature death in Northern Ireland.

The minister said the number of young people taking up smoking in Northern Ireland had been "steadily decreasing in recent years" but he did not want to see this trend being replaced by vaping.

A ban on smoking in vehicles carrying children has been in force in England and Wales since October 2015.

In Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, a ban took effect in 2016.