Hallelujah for California!

When I lived in VA I endured many CA jokes....like "land of the fruits and nuts" and "ohhhh you're from the LEFT Coast" and "after the next earthquake CA should just fall into the Pacific Ocean and become it's own country." I love that these comments came from folks that had never ever set foot in the great state of California. I do tend toward the conservative, and can assure you that I am not scarred by spending 24 glorious years there. Before I lived in Hawaii I thought of CA as the land flowing with milk and honey. Aside from all of that....I am so proud of them for banning smoking in cars with kids. When I taught in VA it was very sad to have kids walk into my class smelling like ashtrays. Their homework smelled, their backpacks smelled, and so did they. I can remember two kids in particular that were the worst smelling. And it wasn't their fault. See the article below:

Calif. bans smoking in cars with kids
By STEVE LAWRENCE, Associated Press Writer
Thu Oct 11, 6:04 AM ET

California motorists will risk fines of up to $100 next year if they are caught smoking in cars with minors, making their state the third to protect children in vehicles from secondhand smoke.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday signed a bill that will make it an infraction to smoke in a vehicle if someone under age 18 is present. But the traffic stop would have to be made for another offense, such as speeding or an illegal turn, before the driver could be cited for smoking.
The ban, which takes effect Jan. 1, joins a string of smoking prohibitions adopted in California, including a ban on smoking in enclosed workplaces and within 25 feet of a playground.
A Harvard School of Public Health report issued last year said secondhand smoke in cars can be up to 10 times more of a health risk than secondhand smoke in a home.
"Protecting the health of our children is among government's highest responsibilities," said the bill's author, state Sen. Jenny Oropeza, a Democrat. "It is clear that increasing public awareness about the dangers of secondhand smoke is the right thing to do."
At least 20 states and a number of municipalities have considered limiting smoking in cars where minors are present. Arkansas now bans smoking in cars with children age 6 and younger, while Louisiana has limited it when children 13 and younger are in the vehicle. Maine lawmakers will take up the issue in January.