Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - don't smoke around my children..

February 27, 2011 - A magistrate has ordered a dad to keep his children away from smokers - including their grandmother - as part of a custody agreement. (Magistrates' Court of Victoria)

The man's de facto [in fact] wife told the Federal Magistrates Court in Melbourne she did not want her children - aged four and five - spending time at their paternal grandparents' home, where she feared they would be exposed to passive smoking (second-hand smoke, involuntary smoking, environmental tobacco smoking, ETS, SDS). The mother also feared for her children if they were present when their father and grandparents drank alcohol.

But the magistrate went a step further to address the mother's concerns. "The father will be required to keep the children away from anyone, including the paternal grandmother, smoking any cigarette or tobacco product in the presence of the children," he said.

The ruling came despite the grandmother agreeing not to smoke around the children. Fathers advocacy group Dads in Distress regional co-ordinator Laurence Anderson said court orders such as these risked further litigation because they couldn't be policed. "The mum could say they've come home smelling like smoke and then they're back in court," he said.

The court's ruling was applauded by Quit Victoria executive director Fiona Sharkie, who said the negative health effects of second-hand smoke were well known.

VIDEO - Passive Smoking: Children..

What are Passive Smoking Effects on Children? by Susan Davis, eHow Contributor, 2/13/2011.

Reference: Court ban on granny smoking near kids, dailytelegraph.com.au, 2/26/2011.

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