The smoke-free movement in housing authorities is happening now! Across the U.S. there are a growing number of housing authorities deciding to adopt smoke-free policies for the benefits of resident health and cost savings. In recent years, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued notices strongly encouraging public housing authorities to implement non-smoking policies in some or all of their units [1],[2]. Currently, HUD is considering a proposed rule requiring public housing authorities across the nation to adopt smoke-free policies. Click here for more information on the proposed rule. 

Would you like to improve resident health?

There is NO safe level of secondhand smoke exposure. Research suggests that individuals with low income living in subsidized housing may have a greater chance of exposure to secondhand smoke because smoking prevalence is higher among low-income populations [1],[2]. Groups that are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of secondhand smoke include children, pregnant women, and the elderly [3]. Air quality experts acknowledge that the only way to truly reduce the health risk from secondhand smoke exposure is to create smoke-free indoor environments [4].

Quit resources, also known as tobacco cessation resources, are treatments to help people quit tobacco use. These treatments can involve the combination of nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, medications and/or group and individual counseling. 

Resources for Staff and Residents:

• 1-800-Quit-Now Hotline - Anytime is a good time to call! The lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  
• Free, web-based quit program to chat with a quit coach. Click here to learn more!
• Quitline Poster
• Get Ready to Quit Brochure
• Get Ready to Quit Brochure - Spanish
• Smoking Cessation Trust - Louisiana residents who began their smoking before September 1, 1988 qualify for additional free cessation services, including cessation medications, individual/group cessation counseling, telephone quit-line support and/or intensive cessation support services.

For more information on quitting resources in Louisiana, click here.

We have created a smoke-free housing guide to assist you in the process of becoming smoke-free properties.

Smoke-Free Housing Guide

Refer below to link to editable versions of sample documents in the Smoke-Free Housing Toolkit:

Sample Resident Survey 

Sample Policy and Lease Addendum 

Sample Notice to Residents 

Sample  Compliance Letter 

Sample Complaint Form

Let’s get started geauxing smoke-free! Creating a smoke-free environment in your public housing authority can decrease the costs associated with rehabilitating a unit, decrease the chances of a smoking-related fire and improve resident health.  Involving residents throughout the entire process of geauxing smoke-free can significantly improve the process of implementing a smoke-free policy. 

In this webinar, you will: 
>> Learn how to implement a resident survey. 
>> Learn how to communicate your new smoke-free policy to residents and staff.
>> Learn about technical support provided by Well-Ahead Louisiana. 
   

To access the webinar recording, click here. 

Did you know? Seven out of every ten smokers want to quit smoking. A smoke-free policy does not require your residents to quit smoking to continue living in their home. But, if residents are provided the right cessation resources, many will view your new smoke-free policy as an opportunity to quit smoking completely. Learn how you can be a quit resource for your residents.  

In this webinar, you will:

>> Learn how and when to refer your residents to the Louisiana Quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW).

>> Learn about additional statewide cessation resources. Many are free and readily available!

>> Learn how Louisiana’s tobacco control partners work together to create smoke-free air for all. 

To access the webinar recording, click here. 

Secondhand smoke is the smoke emitted from burning tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars or pipes. Secondhand smoke is also the smoke that has been exhaled, or breathed out, by the person smoking [1]. Tobacco smoke has been known to contain more 7,000 chemicals, including hundreds that are toxic and about 70 that can cause cancer [1]. 

A smoke-free policy is a great way to protect your property from damage, fires, and excessive wear and tear. You will save money on turnover costs because apartments will cost less to clean, repair and repaint.

An indoor smoke-free policy will also improve resident health, as there is NO safe level of secondhand smoke exposure. 

Engage your residents!

Involving residents throughout the entire process of geauxing smoke free can help with the implementation of the smoke-free policy. Surveying your residents could be a great way to see their support of a smoke-free policy. If support is low, you can still implement a policy, but it is recommended to factor in more time in your timeline for resident education. 

Adopt a policy that best fits your property. Well-Ahead Louisiana is here to help! We can help your staff to think through the policy options that can lead to an effective policy and minimize resident pushback. Remember, you know your residents best!

Responses from housing uthorities across the nation that have gone smoke-free say they enforce the policy just like any other lease rule or regulation [1]. There are a variety of noted strategies to support resident compliance. Before implementation, ensure you clean up cigarette butts and remove ashtrays. Put the smoke-free policy in the lease addendum and have tenants sign it. Engage your residents and communicate that the policy is to improve the quality of air in their home and decrease the risk of fire. 

It is legal to adopt a smoke-free policy. Smokers are not a protected class, and there is no right to smoke under any federal, state or local law. A smoke-free policy restricts smoking, not smokers. It does not limit who can live in your housing authority. *This should not be construed as a legal opinion or substitute for obtaining legal advice. If you have specific questions about the legality please consult an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction. 

You will want to adopt a policy that best suits your property and current environment, as this will help ensure the cooperation of smoking residents. Involve and engage your residents throughout the policy process to minimize resident pushback.

Resources 

Minnesota Live Smoke-Free: Landlord Rights

North Carolina Smoke-Free Housing: Individual Rights 

Public Health Law Center