The Quebec must also ban smoking in cars with children on board

The Quebec Lung Association began Wednesday, a campaign to encourage the Government of Quebec to imitate Ontario and prohibit adults from smoking in their cars in the presence of children under 16 years.

The Ministry of Health does not expect to add other measures

to the Tobacco Act before 2010, said Wednesday a spokesman for the ministry, Marie-Claude Gagnon.

Ontario has implemented its law Wednesday, as already done in Nova Scotia last year and several American states. The Association wants the Quebec do the same.

The Association campaign entitled "Clean Air for Kids", will continue throughout the year. A petition which will be submitted to the Minister of Health, Yves Bolduc, can be signed online.

Ontario offending motorists face fines of up to $ 250. The misdeeds of secondary smoke from cigarettes is worse in a reduced space as the car even more harmful to children.

Smoking in a car, open the windows a half, multiplied by 23 the amount of fine particles which is exposed driver and passengers, according to the Department of Public Health of Ottawa.

Other research has shown that children exposed to secondhand smoke are more at risk of developing lung cancer and heart disease in adulthood. Their bronchial tube is smaller and less developed immune system. As they breathe faster than adults, children inhale more toxic chemicals.