FROM today there will be fewer places for smokers to pursue their habit.

The introduction of the smoking ban on July 1 2007 prevented smoking in enclosed public places in England, including bars, pubs and restaurants. Even workplaces became out of bounds for smokers.

Other than designated areas, their homes and cars are the only places where they can smoke - but once they get behind the wheel with a child on board they will no longer be able to light up under new rules coming into effect today.

Under the new law, which protects children from the effects of tobacco smoke, the driver and any smoker will be fined £50 if they have someone under 18 in the car too.

With today's new ruling and the launch of Stoptober, giving smokers the opportunity to sign up to a campaign to remain smoke free for 28 days, now could be the opportune time to kick the habit.

Currently 22.6 per cent of adults across Bradford still smoke and, according to figures from Public Health England, two thirds of them want to give up.

Last year over 1,750 people across the district signed up to quit smoking with over a thousand remaining smokefree after their attempt. 3635 people have taken part in the last two years.

Smoking is the biggest killer across the district causing more than 800 smoking related deaths every year.

Joanne Nykol, Tobacco Lead for Bradford Council, said: “Secondhand smoke in cars is a real threat to children's health and can increase the risk of cot death, glue ear, asthma and other respiratory diseases due to the enclosed space of a vehicle.

"There is no safe level for smoking and in vehicles it can result in high levels of secondhand smoke even when windows are open. Bradford Council welcomes anything that protects our children and young people from exposure to secondhand smoke and reduces the number of people smoking in the district as we work towards creating a smoke free generation in the future.”

Experts have already proved the potential harm smoking in cars can cause to youngsters. Dr Anil Namdeo, of Newcastle University's Transport Operations Research Group, carried out experiments on secondhand smoke in vehicles to test levels of dangerous chemicals - fine particles 100 times thinner than a human hair known as PM1.5 - which children sitting in the back of a car could breathe in.

Despite common misconception, even driving with the windows open while smoking exposed those in the back to dangerous levels of chemicals.

The test found even with the window open, levels were more than 100 times higher than recommended safety guidelines. And with windows closed and the fans on, levels were more than 200 times the safe limits.

Levels of poisonous carbon monoxide were two to three times worse than on a busy road at rush hour.

Dr Namdeo says: "People think that by opening the window they are clearing the air, but what actually happens is the air is sucked in from outside and pushes the smoke backwards, straight towards the passengers in the back seat.

"Within minutes of the driver lighting up we saw a rapid increase in the levels of harmful chemicals - fine particles known as PM2.5 - not just around the driver but also around the child's car seat."

But aside from the health issues, the big question is now smoking in cars with children present is illegal, how will it be policed?

A National Police Chiefs’ Council spokeswoman says: “As the existing smokefree law extends to vehicles, police forces will be taking an educational, advisory and non-confrontational approach when enforcing the new legislation. This would see people being given warnings rather than being issued with fines, which would give time for public awareness of the offences to build.

This is based on experience of implementing the current smokefree legislation and the Department of Health’s proposal that this approach should be adopted for a minimum of three months to help build a high level of compliance.

Local authorities enforce the existing legislation and police forces are included as enforcement authorities for the new offences. During this period individual offences that justify enforcement action will be reported to local authorities.”

For more information or for help stopping smoking contact the stop smoking service run by Bradford Council's health department on 01274 437700.