An initiative to ban smoking in vehicles where children are present has elicited an unlikely supporter - the Tobacco Industry Advisory Council.

In a statement, the council said it believed that smoking in cars with minors creates dangers that need to be addressed. It said it believed that ongoing cooperation with the appropriate health authorities can ensure an orderly management of the market.

The council said it is in full agreement with the government’s Youth Smoking Prevention programmes, as these reflect the over-riding belief that the choice of whether to smoke or not is made by adults freely and without imposition.

The Tobacco Industry Advisory Council is a grouping of the main players in the tobacco industry in Malta.