“There is no safe amount of secondhand smoke exposure. The home is the main place many children and adults breathe in secondhand smoke.”- United States Surgeon General. 

Just because it doesn’t smell like a cigarette doesn’t mean it’s not a health risk. There’s no such thing as safe secondhand smoke. Smoking today is no longer limited to just cigarettes. All secondhand exposure produced by cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vaping devices, cigarillos, hookah, and marijuana harm your health. Secondhand/drifting smoke is a major concern in residential housing buildings in Ventura County and is especially dangerous for infants, children, elderly, disabled, and pregnant women. Secondhand smoke can travel into an apartment from other apartments and common areas through doorways, cracks in walls, electrical lines, ventilation systems, and plumbing. 

Opening windows and using fans does not entirely remove secondhand smoke. Heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems cannot eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke. In fact, these systems can distribute secondhand smoke throughout a building. 

Cities throughout California have already begun passing laws and smoke-free policies in or around multi- unit housing communities. 

In Ventura County, Moorpark, and Ojai have adopted smoke -free laws to protect residents from secondhand smoke exposure. 

If you are a renter or owner suffering from secondhand smoke, there are steps you can take to work with your property owner/manager to adopt a smoke-free policy for the property. 

If your building is not smoke-free, ask your manager about making the units smoke -free. If your building is smoke-free, speak to your manager to ensure rules are followed and enforced. Let your property manager know going smoke-free promotes residents’ health by protecting them from secondhand smoke while improving their bottom line by reducing costs. 

For more information, please call the Tobacco Education and Prevention Program at 805-981-6656.