THE latest law on curbing smoking all seems a bit pointless if police bosses say they won’t enforce it as is now being suggested.

The legislation is to stop people smoking in cars carrying children and, I agree, it is particularly difficult to enforce. However, it’s a great pity that it won’t attract a more active official stance because by now we’ve all seen the horror adverts showing smoke curling around children, and know that most of the really toxic elements of smoke and smoking are invisible.

The police are understood to be taking an educational rather than confrontational approach, advising smokers on both the law and why it’s necessary.

They can stop vehicles and hand out a £50 fixed penalty. Officials apparently want a “cultural change” with smoking in a vehicle with youngsters under 18 becoming as socially unacceptable as drink-driving, and let’s hope this happens.

On a practical basis, though, are there enough police around to monitor smoking in cars? Cuts in police forces across the country mean an almost resigned approach to certain offences like burglaries and anti-social behaviour due to lack of resources.

Now, they’ve been given another area of policing and it does make you wonder about the balance. It makes no sense if you get the Government cutting resources on one hand and adding new areas to police on the other. It just can’t be done.

Personally, I’m not against people smoking and I can see why they must feel a persecuted lot currently as new legislation constantly seems to encircle them and squeeze them. But I don’t like smoking, and certainly don’t like inhaling second-hand smoke. If smokers can find somewhere private where no-else else is affected by their smoking, though, just go for it.

I’m still not too happy with the fact that all the health problems associated with smoking mean many people suffering from smoking-related conditions clog up the NHS and make life difficult for everyone else. Amazingly, even those in hospital with such ailment may even pop out for a fag.

I’ve no doubt police will allow a few months to get people into the habit of not smoking in their cars around children, much as they did with workplace smoking. But I sincerely hope they will start to clamp down then. Otherwise, we’ve just carried on ignoring the problem and allowed our children to suffer for someone else’s habit.