Chièvres, Belgium -- After Flanders and Wallonia, Brussels has now officially implemented the ban on smoking in a car where a minor child is present. As a result, smoking in a car with a child under 16 has been forbidden throughout the territory of Belgium since August 2019.

For this type of offense, the Federal Police could now be requesting the immediate collection of a fine ranging from €130 to €1,000. The fine is primarily intended to make adults think about the impact of smoking on children, who are the most affected victims of passive smoking.

Several studies have highlighted the effects of passive smoking on children's health. Exposure to cigarette smoke is known for increasing the risk of asthma and ear infection amongst others health issues.

Currently, no similar ban exists in The Netherlands and in Germany. However, four German states (North Rhine-Westphalia, Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein) are working on adopting the same ban.