8217;s Asthma Relief Act of 1999, “Asthma is often a chronic illness that is treatable with ambulatory care, but over 43 percent of its economic impact comes from use of emergency rooms, hospitalization, and death. Children aged 0 to 5 years who are exposed to maternal smoking are 201 times more likely to develop asthma compared with those free from exposure.”Children do not get to choose with whom they ride, nor what the driver of the vehicle does. There have been several public movements to bring to light the plight of child neglect and abuse. There has been no movement to inform the American public about a child’s right to breathe fresh air in a vehicle. Smoking in a car can be considered as harmful as blowing smoke directly into a child’s face in a tiny room. As a parent of a child with asthma, I feel that more parents should consider their child’s health and wellbeing. As a smoker, I also realize that many parents may not realize the amount of harm they are inflicting upon their child. Smoking near children, or even in the same room, should be considered as abusive as allowing a minor to consume alcohol. The right to smoke, harmful as it may be, is still only an individual right. The act of polluting a child’s lungs is not a right, and should be considered a crime. Shaw 4There are currently no laws regulating smoking in privately owned vehicles. There are laws that ban smoking in federal buildings, workplaces, and public restaurants.Children would benefit tremendously by being able to breathe clean air inside the confines of a vehicle. Parents would benefit with possibly lower health costs, as would their health insurance agencies. Business and industry would benefit by decreasing the productivity loss due to health problems. The interpretation of the Commerce Clause would be affected by the regulation of the practice of smoking in a privately owned vehicle....
