Champaign-Urbana Public Health District officials are hoping to persuade landlords in Champaign County to ban smoking in apartments. Officials have been in ongoing discussions with multi-unit housing property owners regarding the benefits of smoke-free housing. Nationally, there is a trend toward multi-unit housing properties becoming smoke-free, according to Tara McCauley of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. The majority of people in the U.S. do not smoke — about 18.1 percent of adults in the nation were smokers in 2012, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Because most renters do not smoke, most renters prefer smoke-free housing. Every year in the U.S., approximately 49,000 people die from lung cancer and coronary heart disease caused by exposure to second-hand smoke,” McCauley said. “In an apartment building, up to 65 percent of the air can circulate between the units — which puts renters at risk for exposure to toxic air in their homes, even if they do not smoke in their apartment unit.”

As of late, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District has been reaching out to landlords to inform them and explore whether they would be interested in the proposition. Should the landlord agree, they then form a partnership, and health district officials help them transition into a smoke-free housing unit.

McCauley noted that many landlords are interested in smoke-free housing because of the damage that smoke can cause in the units. 

“Beside the health reasons, the market is gravitating toward smoke-free living (in apartments). People prefer a fresh clean apartment versus an apartment that has been lived in by a smoker; you can tell there is a noticeable difference,” Roland Realty leasing manager Alec Gillespie said. 

Roland Realty has implemented smoke-free living in its 25 apartment complexes scattered around Champaign and have had positive results, Gillespie said.

“It requires less time and effort to get the odor out of the rooms. We have also seen various burn holes on the furniture or carpets,” Gillespie said. “The paint is also an issue because it will leave stains from people smoking in the room.”

Cigarette butts also present a considerable amount of litter outside the apartments, which is why many landlords are starting to ban smoking on their properties completely, McCauley said.

“The sticky residue that can be left behind in a smoking apartment unit is called third-hand smoke,” McCauley said. “Many property owners have spent a significant amount of money on cleaning up smoking units to make them suitable for a new renter.” 

Former Roland resident Martin Tomic, despite being a smoker, believes smoke-free apartments would be a beneficial addition to landlord’s policies. 

“I certainly believe that smoke-free apartment units will contribute to better living conditions for other residents and perhaps as a by-product make smokers realize that outdoor smoking is far more enjoyable anyways,” Tomic said. “As an avid tobacco user, smoking inside seems to defeat the purpose, which for me is to clear your head a bit, something I find difficult to do starting at a wall or television.”

Gillespie echoed McCauley’s statement that there is a trend of residents wanting smoke-free living.

“The majority of students would prefer not to be in a building that has other smokers because it does travel in the hallways or through the air vents in other apartment buildings,” Gillespie said. “Today’s population is more educated on health risks, not just direct inhalation but second-hand smoke, people appreciate that these days.”

Chris can be reached at [email protected].