Landlords and Tenants Can Make a Healthy Difference with Smoke-Free Policies in Multi-Unit Housing
As warmer weather stretches across North Dakota, the housing market picks up with people selling homes, moving into apartments and joining new communities. Fargo Cass Public Health and the North Dakota Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control Policy (BreatheND) encourage North Dakotans living in or considering living in multi-unit housing to be aware of the risks of secondhand smoke. We also encourage landlords and property owners to implement smoke-free policies for the long-term health and well-being of residents.
“If you live in an apartment, you’re sharing more than just laundry rooms and mailboxes. You’re sharing air,” said Melissa Markegard, Tobacco Prevention Coordinator with Fargo Cass Public Health. “Studies show that if someone is smoking, that smoke cannot be controlled by fans, ventilation, or separating smokers. It can travel through ventilation systems, pipes, electrical outlets and even walls, affecting the 24 percent of North Dakotans who live in apartments.”
A growing body of evidence suggests that even after secondhand smoke has dissipated, its dangerous effects remain. Thirdhand smoke poses an additional threat to residents of apartment buildings that allow smoking. Thirdhand smoke is the residue left behind after secondhand smoke, and it clings to carpet, counter tops and walls.
“Because of documented negative health effects, BreatheND encourages smoke-free policies in multi-unit housing,’ said Jeanne Prom, BreatheND executive director. “We offer a wealth of data as well as practical steps landlords and tenants can take to ensure the health and well-being of all living in multi-unit housing.”
For more information about secondhand smoke risks in multi-unit housing, or if you are a landlord and are interested in learning how to make your building smoke free, go to www.smokefreehousingND.com or contact Fargo Cass Public Health for further assistance.