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Residential Smoking Bans

Should people be entitled to clean air inside their own homes?

A growing number of senior citizens believe they should be, regardless of whether they own a house or live in an apartment or condominium. But when heavy smokers move in next door, many find they no longer have room to breathe.

Second-hand smoke travels through ventilation systems and causes respiratory problems for those who live elsewhere in the same building. That’s why some condo associations now maintain smoke-free buildings and some local governments are exploring legislation that would require a percentage of all units be kept for nonsmokers.

Smoking advocates say they should have the right to do what they want inside their own apartments, but others say if second-hand smoke creeps from one unit to the next, it infringes upon the rights of others to breathe clean air. A recent U.S. Surgeon General’s report emphasizes how dangerous second-hand smoke can be, declaring that no safe levels of second-hand smoke exist. Research shows exposure can cause lung cancer and other respiratory problems, particularly in the very young and very old.

As the issue heats up, it will no doubt find its way to court, where a judge or judges may have the final word.

For more information about this story, visit the Christian Science Monitor.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org