Tuesday - Feb 25, 2014
Champaign, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) sent a mailing on Monday, February 24th to Champaign County multi-unit housing property owners detailing the benefits of smoke-free rental properties.
The mailing describes the cost savings to landlords of smoke-free rental units. The expense to clean a smoking unit after a smoker moves out can be anywhere from $4,000 to $15,000. The expense to clean a smoke-free rental unit is generally under $1,000. Cigarettes are also the leading cause of residential fires.
Beyond the risks and costs to property owners, smoking in multi-unit housing puts nonsmokers at risk for inhalation of secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke drifts into non-smokers' apartments through ventilation systems, light fixtures, electrical outlets, doorways, and windows. Secondhand smoke can remain in the air for hours after a cigarette is extinguished. Of the 4,000 chemicals in secondhand smoke, 250 are known toxins, and 50 are known carcinogens. Nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke increase their risk of developing lung cancer by 20-30 percent. Secondhand smoke can also cause or worsen illnesses such as heart disease, bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, and ear infections.
Read the full press relase. (PDF)