Sample Tenant
Notification Letter
Dear Residents,
In order to provide a healthier environment for our residents and guests, our property has decided to go completely smoke free. The harmful effects of secondhand smoke and the fire dangers caused by smoking indoors are simply too great to ignore.
A smoke-free policy for all individual units will be phased in as leases are renewed. Hazards of Secondhand Smoke Secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard. It is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States, causing approximately 49,000 deaths each year. The 2006 Surgeon General’s report, “The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke,” states that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is particularly dangerous to children and has been linked to childhood asthma, low birth weight, ear infections, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Smoking is the leading cause of fire death in the United States. Fires can start on decks and porches as well as in units. According to the National Fire Protection Association’s report “The Smoking- Materials Fire Problem,” one in four (24%) victims who die in residential smoking-related fires is not the smoker whose cigarette started the fire. Fires caused by smoking are costly, deadly, and lave many people with damaged property and no place to live. We want to protect our residents from these dangers. Ventilation is not effective, Research conducted during air movement studies have shown that secondhand smoke travels from unit to unit.
The smoke can seep through electrical outlets, heating and duct work, and structural gaps. The remodeling required to prevent secondhand smoke from traveling to another residence can be costly and ineffective. The only effective way to stop the spread of secondhand smoke is by adopting a smoke-free policy.
Our Building’s New Smoke-Free Policy