Is It Legal To Smoke Cigarettes In Texas With Kids In The Vehicle?

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• The dangers of secondhand smoke are well known.
• Just because something is legal doesn't mean you should do it.
• It is not worth the risk to your child's safety.

Growing up my parents didn't smoke. I didn't know many people who did, and I wasn't exposed to it much.

Then when I hit my teen years things changed, and I actually picked up the habit. Luckily I quit many years ago, but it made me wonder if I had ever smoked with my kid in the car. I would like to believe I made an effort not to do that.

I had family members that had complications from secondhand smoke, and it most likely shortened their lives. Even though they didn't smoke, being around a spouse that did contributed to their illnesses.

Don't Smoke In The Car With Your Children  

It's common knowledge that secondhand smoke has an adverse effect on children. They could even contract diseases such as asthma at a very young age.

Texas does not currently have a law on the books that would prevent you from smoking in the car with your children in the car. If you like to travel though, there are a few other states and territories that do.

Arkansas and Louisiana both have laws against smoking in the car with children. In Guam the third offense could even be used as a basis for a child abuse and neglect investigation.

They don't much care for it in Puerto Rico either. For a third violation, you could get up to a $2,000 fine.