TECC Technical Assistance Portfolio 2023-2024

Madera County Tobacco Control

Fact Sheet

Landlords know that tobacco smoke damages carpets, walls, and curtains— damage that can be expensive to clean and repair. It’s also a fire hazard that leads to millions in property damage year after year. Did You Know? 1 Protect Your Property and Your Tenants

People want smokefree housing 9 out of 10 of the nearly 300 people who responded to a 2022 public opinion survey in Madera County said they would prefer to live in smoke-free housing . Even the people who smoke said this. Most (84%) also said they would support a policy protecting nonsmokers from secondhand smoke in multi-unit housing, such as apartment buildings. A team of observers visited Madera’s multi-unit housing units and saw that only 15% of the properties had No Smoking/ Vaping signs. The few signs were usually in outdoor walkways or mailbox areas, not in pool or play areas where children would be.

Together, we can do better! Landlords can help their staff and tenants avoid exposure to secondhand smoke. They can: • Make nonsmoking policies part of the rental agreements, especially on balconies/patios and in other public spaces. • Put up “NO SMOKING” signs in all public areas, including walkways, courtyards, picnic and pool areas—especially ones where children play.

Cancer

Even if you don’t smoke, you can be affected by secondhand smoke from other people’s cigarettes or vaping. When someone else’s smoke drifts through vents, windows, and outlets, you are inhaling many of the same harmful chemicals that a person who smokes is inhaling, which means that you may also be at a higher risk for:

Heart attacks

Need signs or sample rental agreement language? Call us! Madera County Tobacco Control Program Manager: Tiara Munoz Email: tiara.munoz@maderacounty.com Phone: (559) 675-7893

Asthma

Other health issues, such as higher stroke risk

The Bottom Line: There’s no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

1. American Cancer Society. Health Risks of Secondhand Smoke. 2023. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/tobacco/health-risks-of-tobacco/ secondhand-smoke.html [Accessed 01/2024]

©2024. California Department of Public Health. Funded under contract #21-20.

34