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Smoke-Free Car Law Begins New Year's Day

One of the nation's most comprehensive smoke-free car laws takes effect in California on New Year's Day. The measure makes it a crime for adults to smoke in a car when children under 18 are present. K

One of the nation's most comprehensive smoke-free car laws takes effect in California on New Year's Day. The measure makes it a crime for adults to smoke in a car when children under 18 are present. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has the story.

Health officials say children's exposure to secondhand smoke has fallen in recent years. Even so, they say kids remain more heavily exposed to the toxin than non-smoking adults.  Under California's new law, adults who smoke in a car when minors are present could be fined $100.  Some say the law is too intrusive. Ross Porter is with the American Lung Association.

Porter: Critics will always feel like laws to protect the public health are intrusive in some way. And what we want to do is, we want to expand the envelope of safety for kids."

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The measure will be a secondary offense. That means police will not be allowed to pull anyone over for this violation alone.

Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.