Mayor Warns Parents of Smoking Lawsuits

Mayor Bloomberg said today that he has not decided whether to back a soon-to-be introduced bill in the City Council to prohibit smoking in cars with minors. He warned parents though that their children could target them in second-hand smoke lawsuits if they engage in the practice.

"I've always thought, someday, somebody is going to sue. Some kid is going to sue their parents," the mayor said when asked whether he would back the legislation.

Mr. Bloomberg said he would have to look at the legislation before deciding whether to support it. "I will say that if you have a child in a car and you smoke you are just really not being fair to that child. Second-hand smoke kills, you shouldn't be doing it," he said. "But, whether or not the government should have legislation is a separate issue."

Mr. Bloomberg pushed through a smoking ban for bars and restaurants during his first term and recently donated $125 million of his personal fortune to fight smoking globally.