If you live in an apartment, condo or any multi-unit building, you may be unknowingly exposed to an unwelcome guest — secondhand smoke. Even if no one in your household smokes, secondhand smoke from your neighbors can seep through vents, gaps under doors or windows, cracks in walls or floorboards and even through electrical outlets. Several studies have shown that an estimated 44% to 53% of multi-unit housing residents that do not allow smoking in their home, have experienced secondhand smoke infiltration from elsewhere in or around the building. Smokefree policies can improve health and make living spaces more pleasant, but they only work if residents support them and managers enforce them.
Recently, a survey of residents living in multi-unit housing in Gravois Park and nearby areas in St. Louis was conducted to learn more about their experiences with smoking and their opinions on smokefree policies. The hope was to use this survey and many others like it to create smokefree housing guidelines that serve everyone in the area.
What Causes Secondhand and Thirdhand Smoke?
People who are exposed to secondhand smoke often do so unwillingly as the effects are created by breathing in tobacco smoke from someone else. Unfortunately, even passively inhaling smoke in this way can have harmful effects on the heart, lungs and body. Each year, more than 19,000 deaths are attributed to secondhand smoke in the U.S., more than 4,100 of which are due to lung cancer among adults who do not smoke according to the U.S. Surgeon General.
Though secondhand smoke is harmful to everyone, people with chronic lung or heart disease or cancer are especially vulnerable. Children are also at high risk because their bodies are still developing. Additionally, any child with asthma is more likely to have severe and frequent flare-ups if they are exposed to secondhand smoke.
Besides polluting the air, tobacco smoke can leave residue that settles on indoor surfaces and can remain for a few weeks to several years. These toxins that seep into carpets, furniture, walls and clothing are known as thirdhand smoke. The residue is particularly dangerous for infants and children who can ingest these carcinogens by touching contaminated surfaces and then putting their hands in their mouths. Thorough cleaning is needed to remove thirdhand smoke, and no level of exposure is considered safe.
What Is the Smokefree Housing Initiative?
In July 2018, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a rule that made all public housing smokefree. This rule protected close to two million public housing residents, including 760,000 children, from exposure to secondhand smoke when it was implemented. As a strong supporter of HUD's smokefree housing rule, the American Lung Association has helped facilitate successful implementation of the rule through the Smokefree Public Housing Initiative. Through this initiative, public housing agencies and other low-income housing providers in 10 states (including Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia) were given technical assistance, expertise, resources and support to implement smokefree housing policies.
Who Wants Smokefree Housing?
The residents of the surveyed multi-unit building in Gravois Park were enthusiastic about the idea of implementing a smokefree housing initiative. Nearly two-thirds said no one smokes inside their apartment, and more than two-thirds have personal rules prohibiting smoking indoors. However, almost 4 in 10 residents reported smelling smoke in their homes, supporting the knowledge that smoke can enter from neighboring units, making building-wide policies important.
Support for smokefree housing was strong, with 7 in 10 residents noting they would prefer to live in a building where smoking is not allowed in any apartments. Majority support for a smokefree housing policy is consistent across surveys done in other places. Many times, this was because of a health concern, as nearly half said that someone in their household has a chronic illness that can get worse with smoke exposure. Though others shared stories of how they take extra steps to protect loved ones by using air filters or keeping windows closed, overall, they agreed that better enforcement of smokefree policies was needed.
What You Can Do
Smokefree housing benefits everyone. It can protect the health and improve the quality of life of tenants and their families. Because of this healthy environment, landlords can hope to attract more tenants and reduce turnover. But to succeed, smokefree policies must be enforced consistently. To help start a smokefree policy where you live, the American Lung Association provides several tools and resources. Follow these simple steps to keep secondhand smoke out of your home.
Blog last updated: March 6, 2026
