The Creating Healthy Communities project of the Allen County Health Department has a new project initiative for smoke-free housing.

The Allen County Smoke-Free Housing Project is geared towards tenants and landlords who want to make their housing units smoke free, whether it’s a single dwelling, duplex, six-building condominium complex, or multiple apartment complex.

Smoke free policies protect against secondhand smoke (the smoke from the burning end of a cigarette) and also thirdhand smoke (the smoke residue that remains in carpets, furniture, clothes, and hair long after a cigarette has been extinguished).  Not only is drifting secondhand smoke and lingering thirdhand smoke a nuisance, they also pose a serious health risk to non-smokers.

“There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke,” says Shelly Miller, Health Educator.  “The only way to protect non-smokers from exposure to secondhand smoke is to eliminate smoking in any indoor space, including where they live.”

It is within the landlord’s rights to make their housing units smoke-free and information shows that this is the future of multi-unit housing.

The Allen County Health Department has toolkits available to assist tenants or landlords if they want to adopt a smoke-free housing policy or just take steps toward a smoke-free environment.  The toolkits are available on the Health Department’s website at   www.allencountyhealthdepartment.org.