According to emerging reports, a new law which was implemented to protect children from the dangers of passive smoking is not being enforced as police officials reveal they are unable to prosecute offenders.

Launching an investigation into the law which was passed in England and Wales last October, the BBC established that authorities had been unable to properly enforce the ban because there are no tickers they can use.

The law, which would see drivers face a £50 fine if caught smoking in a vehicle carrying children, resulted in no fines or court summons in the three months which followed its highly-publicised implementation.

According to a report in The Independent, authorities blames this surprising result on a bureaucratic mix-up which meant officials who have the power to enforce fines do not have the power to stop vehicles, and vice versa.

Attempting to remedy this incredibly problematic issue, the Department of Health are currently liasing with police and local authorities so that police will be able to use "existing traffic offender report forms to pass information to local authorities to collect fines."

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