Smoking in your car is more damaging to health than breathing in exhaust fumes, a leading doctor has claimed.

Douglas Noble, a British Medical Association public health expert, made the claim as his colleagues called for tougher tobacco and alcohol controls.

BMA members voted in favour of a ban on smoking while driving, more restrictions on licensing hours and introducing a minimum price of alcohol

The union hopes to use its influential position to persuade the UK Government and its counterparts in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to tighten up its licensing legislation.

Those against stricter regulations say it would intrude upon people's liberty - and labelled a ban on smoking while driving as being 'unenforceable'.

But supporters insist the measures, if implemented

London-based Dr Noble said: 'In cars, particle concentrations are 27 times higher than in a smoker's home and 20 times higher than in a pub, in the days when you could smoke in public places.

'It would be safer to have your exhaust pipe on the inside of your car than smoke cigarettes in terms of fine particular matter released.

'A ban would protect pregnant women and children.'

Cigarettes and alcohol was a key area of debate during the third day of the BMA's week-long annual conference in St David's Hall, Cardiff.

As well as backing calls for a blanket ban on smoking in cars, members supported two motions for more restrictions on the sale of alcohol.

BMA Scottish Council member Sue Robertson said: 'Less time selling drinks, equals less drinks being sold.

'The annual healthcare costs of alcohol in England alone are £1.7 to £2.4 billion.'

Delegates at the conference also heard calls for a minimum alcohol price to be introduced - saying it would stop cut-price drinks deals by supermarkets, which were putting many pubs out of business.

Dr Robertson added a charge of at least 50p per unit would reduce binge drinking and save the NHS £1.31 billion in 10 years.

Some doctors expressed unease about the plans - saying they were too "interfering".

Charlie Bell, a medical student at Queen's College, Cambridge University, said: 'The best way to tackle the problem is (through) education.

'We're the BMA, not the BNA - the British Nannying Association.'

But despite the calls, the motions were overwhelmingly backed by members - who also gave their support for more transparency between tobacco companies and politicians.

The British Lung Foundation said it was delighted by the BMA's stance.

The charity's director of communications Miranda Watson said: 'Doctors are on the front-line when it comes to dealing with the impact of passive smoking on children.

'We're thrilled the BMA is supporting our campaign to end smoking in cars carrying children. With doctors backing our campaign, the Government can't afford to stall.'

Pro-smoking lobbyists Forest labelled the BMA's move as another attack on smokers and freedom of choice.

Director Simon Clark said: 'An outright ban on smoking in cars would be a gross intrusion of the state on people's private lives.

'If such legislation was put in place then I fear it would be a step towards trying to implement a ban on smoking in the home.

'People should have the right to choose.'

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