Poll Results
Do you agree with the Cancer Society that smoking in cars with kids should be banned?
Yes 44%
No 56%

Total Votes: 3084
Previous polls:
Do you agree with the Cancer Society that smoking in cars with kids should be banned?

Apparently that poll is unavailable...maybe I have a browser problem?

I had the same problem. The poll appears to have been pulled.

It was pulled. I found it by taking the latest poll, then wiewing the results and clicking on 'poll archives'. We got flushed. 74 or 75% were in favor, I believe it was.

Considering that these anti-sponsored polls are almost always push polls, why even bother to look at them?

They either contain loaded language, or the majority of respondents are organized volunteers, sometimes both.

Butt ban in cars with kids sought here
Activists hope new poll leads to legislation
Thu Jan 17 2008

By Jen Skerritt

ANTI-SMOKING activists are hoping a new poll will encourage Manitoba to ban butts in cars carrying children.

The Canadian Cancer Society released the results of a survey Wednesday that found a strong majority of Canadians, including a solid majority of smokers, supports the idea of banning smoking in cars carrying young people.

The poll, conducted Dec. 12 to Jan. 3 by Environics, suggests 82 per cent of Canadians agreed that smoking should be prohibited in cars transporting children and teenagers under the age of 18. Among smokers who responded to the telephone survey, 69 per cent supported the idea.

Lorne Korol, cancer control advocacy co-ordinator for the Canadian Cancer Society Manitoba Division, said the survey shows people have a better understanding of the dangers of second-hand smoke and that smokers are concerned about the health of their children.

Korol will be discussing the issue of banning smoking in cars at an upcoming meeting with the province and said he's optimistic Manitoba is ready to move forward on the issue.

Last month, Nova Scotia became the first province to legislate a ban on smoking in cars carrying children, after the town of Wolfville, N.S., passed a municipal bylaw banning the practice in November.

Private member's bills aimed at banning smoking in vehicles carrying children have also been introduced in the British Columbia and Ontario legislatures.

"It's one thing for smokers to be damaging their own health but when it comes to their kids, (smokers) have a different outlook on it," Korol said. "It may be their own addiction that's fuelling their smoking, but at the same time they want to protect their kids."

Health Minister Theresa Oswald said the province won't aggressively pursue banning smoking in cars carrying minors in the legislature's spring session, but wouldn't rule out the possibility in the future.

Oswald said Manitoba is closely watching how the butt ban works in other provinces, and in the meantime will educate parents to avoid smoking in cars.

"Certainly we're looking with interest at what is happening in other jurisdictions, but we have been on record all along saying that it really is our preference to educate not legislate," Oswald said.

A total of 2,032 Canadians took part in the poll. It is considered accurate to within plus or minus 2.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.


jen.skerritt@freepress.mb.ca

-- with files from The Canadian Press



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