The law, which came into being today, is one of many new tobacco regulations and perpetrators face a $250 on the spot fine if they fail to adhere.

Passive smoking harms children’s growing lungs and can cause respiratory disease later in life, which is why the NSW Government introduced the new laws aimed at protecting children.

Ingo Steppat, Greater Western Area Health Service’s co-ordinator of Environmental health Services said the move was a positive one for the health of all children.

“Cigarette smoke is highly addictive, and there are a while range of illnesses which are created through passive smoking,” he said.

Among the many complications of being exposed to passive smoke are increased risk of asthma, respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis, coughing and wheezing, and of course the risk of cancer later on in life.

Mr Steppat said even being in a car a short time with a smoker can be detrimental to children’s health. Mr Steppat said the government has also introduced other legislation which aims to reduce the incidence of smoking and other consumption of tobacco products, particularly by young people.

Under the new legislation retailers are also prohibited to display tobacco products, limits outlets to one point of sale for tobacco products, and a notification and negative licensing scheme for tobacco retailers meaning a person or company which has been convicted of two offences against the same provision of the act within a three year period will be prohibited from selling tobacco for a three month period.

While the smoking in car ban is immediate from today, other parts of the legislation to carry a phasing in period.

Mr Steppat encouraged people to log onto the NSW health website to find out more about the new legislation.