Smoking with kids in car will get you ticketed, Prince Albert police say

After a motorist got ticketed for smoking in a vehicle with a child inside, Prince Albert,Sask. police are reminding the public that they continue to enforce the Tobacco Control Act.

"Smoking, or holding a lighted tobacco product in a vehicle with another person who's under the age of 16 years in that vehicle, is illegal," Sgt. Travis Willie said. "You can be pulled over based on that and issued a ticket."

The law's been around for years, but Willie says people are sometimes surprised when they find out they're going to be charged. There tends to be more awareness, for example, about the ban on driving while using a cellphone, he said.

The fine under the Tobacco Control Act is $280.

Recently, Prince Albert police and Saskatchewan Government Insurance teamed up for a two-day focus on traffic offences.

It resulted in 35 charges, including eight for cellphone use, two disqualified driving offences, one impaired driving charge, and the one Tobacco Control Act charge.

Traffic police have considerable discretion in laying tobacco-related charges, Willie said.

"Along with enforcement, education is just as important," he said.