Secondhand smoke exposure poses serious health threats to children, adults and pets. For residents of multi-unit housing (e.g., apartment buildings and condominiums), secondhand smoke, including secondhand tobacco smoke, secondhand cannabis smoke and secondhand e-cigarette aerosol can be a major concern. It can migrate from other units and common areas and travel through doorways, cracks in walls, electrical lines, plumbing, and ventilation systems. In addition, many renters are persons with lower incomes and use tobacco at disproportionate rates. They deserve healthy indoor air in their housing that promotes their well-being and that will also make it easier to try to quit tobacco use.
Public and private multi-unit housing properties across the country have moved to solve this problem by making their housing, including individual units, smokefree. This move not only protects residents and staff from exposure to secondhand smoke, but also saves properties thousands of dollars in costs to turnover units and significantly reduces fire risk for buildings. Note that solutions short of making the entire building smokefree such separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air or ventilation systems cannot eliminate exposure to the toxins in secondhand smoke, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'s rule that made all public housing smokefree took effect July 30, 2018. This rule protected close to two million public housing residents, including 760,000 children, from exposure to secondhand smoke when it was implemented. The American Lung Association is a strong supporter of HUD's smokefree housing rule and pushed for its passage for over a decade.
Tools and Resources
The American Lung Association has several tools and resources on smokefree housing:
- Factsheet for Property Managers on Effective Enforcement of Smokefree Policies in Multi-Unit Housing
Educational Materials on Tobacco Use, Quitting Smoking and Exposure to Secondhand Smoke
If you live in Oklahoma, the Lung Association has local programming and resources that could be helpful
Videos and success stories from communities that have previously worked to make multi-unit housing smokefree
Smokefree Policies in Multi-Unit Housing: Steps for Success Online Course
The Lung Association’s Smokefree Policies in Multi-Unit Housing: Steps for Success Online Course is no longer available.
However, the resources used in the course are still available: Download the entire toolbox now.
Smokefree Public Housing Projects
The American Lung Association also conducted several projects during the implementation of HUD’s smokefree housing rule:
Page last updated: May 2, 2024
