CALLS by the British Medical Association to ban smoking in cars are of course welcome.

The doctors’ organisation wants the government to introduce “bold and courageous’’ measures after it says evidence suggests smoking in a closed vehicle exposes occupants to large amounts of harmful chemicals.

Of course, it should be a matter of common sense that smokers should never smoke in the car with their children present, or indeed anyone else who doesn’t smoke.

And in principle we agree with the idea of a ban.

But, we do question how it could ever be enforced at a sufficient level to make it worthwhile.

Would police be expected to pull over everybody they see smoking at the wheel?

Or, even more absurdly, would they have to perform random checks on cars to see if smoke has been present? And would any ban apply to smokers who never have any passengers with them?

Anything that protects people from passive smoking has to be welcomed, we just can’t see how this is something that could be successfully enforced.

What do you think? You can vote here