I WOULD like to respond to a letter from Thomas Laprade airing his views on smoking (The Argus, July 8).

Although the writer says a ban on smoking in cars containing child passengers is “an unwarranted intrusion into the privacy and autonomy of parenthood”, he also states such an intrusion “should only be done where there is a substantial threat of harm to the child”.

Given the evidence of the harm caused by passive smoking, I feel sure such a substantial threat exists.

It is logical, therefore, to consider just such a ban for that very reason.

I speak as a smoker of many years who has never felt able to smoke in a car.

Indeed, in the “good old days” when smoking was allowed on the top deck of a bus, I found myself getting off a few stops early because I could not stand the fug of other people’s smoke.

Tommy Coyne, Seafield Road, Hove