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North Platte police chief ties second-hand smoke to child abuse

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Saturday, Jul 08, 2006 - 05:38:25 pm CDT

NORTH PLATTE — North Platte Police Chief Martin Gutschenritter says he believes parents who expose their children to secondhand smoke in a vehicle should be charged with child abuse.

Gutschenritter’s stance comes after U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona’s recent condemnation of secondhand smoke. Carmona’s 670-page study on the issue concluded that secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance but a serious health hazard.

Gutschenritter said secondhand smoke around children is “the most insidious form of child abuse.”

Carmona implored smoking parents to indulge in their habit outdoors, adding that opening a window in a house or a car will not protect children from secondhand smoke.

“With that in mind, we are researching to determine whether law enforcement has probable cause to arrest anyone exposing children to secondhand smoke inside a vehicle,” Gutschenritter said.

Lincoln County Attorney Jeff Meyer did not return a phone message left at his residence.

Nebraska law defines child abuse as placing a minor child in a situation that endangers his or her life or physical or mental health. The act can be caused either knowingly, intentionally or negligently.

Secondhand smoke is believed to contribute to some children developing asthma and other respiratory problems.

“If you look at the state statute regarding child abuse, and if you look at the surgeon general’s report, we believe that it’s a clear violation,” Gutschenritter said. “The fact that the injury isn’t immediate, we feel is irrelevant.”

Child abuse is a Class I misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine.

The Arkansas Legislature this year passed a state law that prohibits smoking in a car with a child who must be restrained in a safety seat. Lawmakers in Utah and Michigan are also considering similar legislation.

Gutschenritter said the police department has a duty and a responsibility to protect and serve all citizens, especially young children who are unable to protect themselves.

“While we are researching this issue, we strongly urge all smokers to be responsible and to help protect our youngsters by not exposing them to secondhand smoke anywhere, but especially in vehicles,” he said.

Information from: The North Platte Telegraph, http://www.nptelegraph.com


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I can`t agree more.. wrote on July 8, 2006 6:48 pm:
" I have to agree with this charging parents who smoke in thier cars with children in them. This is child abuse , I hope it`s strongly inforced ! "

 Crazy wrote on July 8, 2006 11:18 pm:
" He's on personal crusade period. Recently I took my mother to dinner who is 84 years old and started smoking when she was 14. She quit 4 months ago because of the expense and the smell in her house. We were discussing the issue of the 2nd hand smoke theory. She mentioned she was going to write in her obituary that she smoked during her pregnancy of her fist two sons, and smoked around all of her 5 children. The oldest son, now 65 has never smoked and none of her children, including myself have ever had any health effects from second hand smoke. Although there might evidence of someone having had negative health effects from second hand smoke, the whole issue is being overblown and hyped by folks with another agenda. Where are is medical evidence that conclusively proves it anyway? Americans believe anything if they hear it told to them constantly in the press over and over. By the way, what did the State of Nebraska do with the tobacco settlement money? "

 disagree wrote on July 9, 2006 1:30 am:
" Nebraska law defines child abuse as placing a minor child in a situation that endangers his or her life or physical or mental health. The act can be caused either knowingly, intentionally or negligently. In my opinion Nebraska doesn't enforce the laws when it comes to childe abuse. I think I'd be much happier if my ex only smoked around my son. I think its really funny that the police chief is worried about the smokers, but when it come to kids being hit they just file their reports and file them away. Sadly the child must die from abuse for anything to happen in this state. "

 c.h. wrote on July 9, 2006 7:04 am:
" OK now, this is getting way,way out of hand!! Yes, we know more now than we used to. About a lot of things. For example, little did my brothers and I know, as we bounced around in the backseat of the car,(until mom stopped and spanked one of us, that is)that we were all victims of child abuse!! My mom was a registered nurse, employed by an ESU. She thought SHE knew what abuse was too! We were wrong. My mom smoked, had cocktails, drank coffee, all while pregnant with the three of us. So did all her contemporaries. It's a miracle any of us were born at all, never mind thriving the way we all did. I'm not saying we should go back to those days, but when Nebraska's DHHS has been rated THE WORST IN THE COUNTRY for taking children from their homes and putting them in foster care, (where,as you know, some die)do we really need to be this reactionary?? This is a slippery slope folks. Don't take that first step. "Secondhand smoke is believed to contribute to some children developing asthma and other respiratory problems." I mean, could you possibly be a bit more vague about that. Let's see some numbers here before we create a new class of abuse. Hard statistics show that preschoolers in daycare contract more serious illnesses, more often, than children kept at home. Will taking their kids to daycare be next? What about bicycles? Kittens, now kittens are dangerous! STOP in the name of sanity. Our young parents have enough hoops to jump through. "

 Ralph Thomas wrote on July 9, 2006 9:42 am:
" Did this guy have a meeting with Bruning about grandstanding on ridiculous issues or what? "

 Bill wrote on July 9, 2006 10:00 am:
" How many people see kids not in car seats, or worse, standing up in moving vehicles? I'm sure everyone in North Platte is in full compliance. Or don't you agree with that law Chief? Enforce the existing laws. When there's conclusive evidence regarding secondhand smoke, then start talking about new laws. "

 david wrote on July 9, 2006 11:30 am:
" The np chief should make sure his more pressing duities are met before he chooses to criminalize young parents. is it smart to smoke around your kids? no. does he have more important things to worry about? yes. "

 D.C wrote on July 9, 2006 12:03 pm:
" Is this what our great state is coming to? Where will it end? If you fall in step with these people anything can be considered child abuse. Like a minor speeding ticket with your kids in the car, allowing your children to eat junk or fast food or anything but veggies, cursing in front of your kids, allowing certain television, music, or reading materials, I could go on. There are scores of atrocities afflicted on our children across the globe including our city of Lincoln. What have we become when the "system" we live in allows a child molester to ride a city bus across town, walk into a public school and attack a small child but wants to penalize parents for daily choices that may or may not affect the physical, mental, or emotional health of their offspring. Let's pick our battles people! If you want to stand on a soapbox, choose something worthy. As a mother I wrestle everyday with trying to provide a safe, sound, happy, and healthy upbringing for my children. I worry constantly about their welfare and future, especially in a world where "true" child abuse is so prevelant. A world that protects the rights of criminals and predators while stealing the livelihood of so many good, upstanding, and law-abiding people including parents. I abhore child abuse and the people who commit crimes against their own flesh and blood. It's a violation of the most precious thing on Earth, the bond between parent and child. In comparison, I hardly think smoking in the presence of your children is "abuse". Let's put a stop to these power-hungry, lime-light stealing, "jump on the bandwagon" crusaders and focus our energies on REAL problems. "

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