Secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States.
- Approximately 53,000 people die annually from diseases caused by secondhand smoke, with hundreds of thousands more suffering ill effects from exposure.
- Multi-unit dwellings present a particular challenge for dealing with this significant health and nuisance problem. Tobacco smoke from one unit may seep through cracks, circulated by a shared ventilation system, or otherwise enter the living space of another.
- Landlords can play a role in eliminating a significant cause of illness in the home and a major cause of preventable death in the United States: secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is not just a nuisance; according to the Environmental Protection Agency, it is a health hazard for which there is no safe level of exposure.
- Secondhand smoke kills approximately 210 adult nonsmokers in New Hampshire each year.
- The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently warned people with heart problems to avoid all buildings that permit smoking indoors. As little as 30 minutes of exposure to secondhand smoke can have serious and possibly lethal effects to those with heart conditions, according to the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
- Children exposed to cigarette smoke in the home are twice as likely to develop and suffer persistently from asthma.
- Senior citizens and individuals with chronic health problems are vulnerable to secondhand smoke, which can exacerbate pneumonia, bronchitis, cancer, cardiovascular disease and other health problems.
