Smoking in cars with children present could be outlawed after a bill was lodged at the Scottish Parliament.
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Jim Hume has proposed legislation which, if passed, could see smokers hit with a £100 fine if they are caught smoking in their car whilst under-18s are present.
It has the backing of the British Heart Foundation, Children In Scotland, ASH Scotland and the British Lung Foundation,
However, senior lecturer in sociology at Abertay University Dr Stuart Waiton has opposed to the move.
He said: “I think there is a trend at the moment towards more regulation and more laws, especially around safety.
“As far as I can tell, politicians should really now be called risk managers because that seems to be what they spend most of their time doing, especially when it comes to child safety.”
Mr Hume said Scotland and the UK remain one of the few places where children can legally be exposed to passive smoking in private vehicles.
He added: “A shocking 60,000 children each week are exposed to second hand smoke in vehicles. This bill is about guaranteeing that children in Scotland can have the freedom to go on and lead healthy lives if they choose to.
“84% of the 160 responses to my consultation were positive and people from across Scotland have expressed their support for the move. I look forward to working with MSPs from all parties as the bill progresses.”