August 31, 2008 ME outlaws smoking in cars with youths under 16 present

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Starting tomorrow, it'll be illegal in Maine to smoke in a car while children are present.

A law passed by the Legislature earlier this year is modeled after a Bangor ordinance. It's effective date is Monday.

Maine's statewide law outlaws smoking in cars while youths under 16 are present. The law authorizes 50 dollar fines for violations -- but for the first year police may issue only warnings.

Gov. John Baldacci hailed the legislation as a strike against secondhand smoke when he signed it into law in April. He said tobacco use costs too many lives and too much money.

A number of other states, including California, Arkansas and Louisiana, and some Canadian provinces, have similar laws.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)