Ye scurvy dogs, beware! No puffin' the ol' pipe 'round wee ones in the carriage, lest ye face the gallows!
2024-03-22
Arrr mateys! West Virginia be joinin' the ranks of the landlubbers who ban smokin' in vehicles with wee ones aboard. Republican Gov. Jim Justice be givin' his seal o' approval to this new law. No puffin' the tobacco pipes around the young scallywags, me hearties!
In a bold move akin to swashbuckling on the high seas, West Virginia, known for its high rate of adult cigarette use, has become the 12th state to ban smoking in vehicles with children present. The bill, signed by Republican Gov. Jim Justice, imposes a fine of up to $25 on violators, but only if they're pulled over for another offense - no sailing the high seas just for puffing a pipe, savvy?With about 22% of West Virginia adults smoking in 2021, the CDC warns that there be no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure. The bill, which was among 15 signed by Justice, found its origins in the Republican-dominated state Senate, led by lung doctor and majority leader Tom Takubo. Takubo, having made a promise to a patient, has been pushing for this legislation almost annually since 2017.The bill faced opposition, with one delegate calling it "just another big government bill," but ultimately passed without debate in the GOP-led House. Delegate Dana Ferrell, recalling his own childhood experiences of trying to shield himself from his parents' smoke in the car, championed the bill as necessary for the safety and well-being of children.