American Lung Association supports public housing transition to smoke free
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) is requiring all public housing agencies (PHAs) across the nation, including in South Carolina to implement a smokefree policy by July 31, 2018. To support this effort, the American Lung Association will assist public housing agencies’ (PHAs), transition through the new Smoke free Public Housing Initiative, funded by the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. The Lung Association will share best practices to implement smoke free housing policies, provide quit-smoking support to residents who are ready to quit and offer information on lung cancer screening to those who might qualify.
Through this new initiative across 10 states, including South Carolina, the American Lung Association will provide public housing agencies and other low-income housing providers with technical assistance, expertise, resources and support to implement smoke free housing policies, and will provide residents with referral to proven-effective quit smoking services and information on the availability of lung cancer screening for those who meet the high-risk criteria.
A move to smoke free public housing will protect the health of millions of people from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. “We are proud to assist in the implementation of smoke free policies and help smokers quit, when they’re ready,” said Alice Stradford, Health Promotions Manager and Project Leader in South Carolina. “The American Lung Association will assist with policy education, development and implementation, and train cessation navigators within the housing centers to provide information and support. This new project will provide important tools and resources to help public housing agencies implement and enforce smoke free policies.”
On November 30, 2016, HUD announced its final rule that requires all public housing agencies to implement smoke free policies over the following 18 months. The new smoke free rule will protect close to two million residents living in public housing from exposure to secondhand smoke. This population includes many of those most vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke, including close to 700,000 children and more than 300,000 adults over the age of 62. The smoke free policies apply to all residential units as well as common areas, and include a 25-foot buffer zone around buildings.
The U.S. Surgeon General has stated there is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure. More than 41,000 deaths per year in the United States are caused by exposure to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke can cause or worsen a wide range of lung diseases in children and adults including lung cancer, respiratory infections and asthma exacerbations. Cancer survivors are particularly vulnerable to exposure to secondhand smoke, and among lung cancer patients, exposure leads to higher death rates.
