Posted on 07/31/2018 3:00:59 PM PDT by Drango
Smokers can no longer light up in or near public housing facilities in the U.S. due to a new rule that went into effect July 31. The nationwide ban on smoking in public housing was implemented nearly two years after the rule was passed by the Obama administration in 2016.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) now prohibits the use of cigarettes, cigars and pipes in all public housing units and common areas, as well as any outdoor areas up to 25 feet from public housing and administrative office buildings. The ban does not apply to e-cigarettes, snuff and chewing tobacco, although there may be restrictions on those in some areas.
HUD says about 228,000 public housing units under more than 600 local agencies were already smoke-free, and the new rule wipes out smoking in more than 940,000 other units. The ban is expected to save government housing agencies $153 million a year in repairs and health care costs, including $16 million for costs tied to smoking-related fires, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated in 2014.
HUD said the new policy would reduce health hazards from secondhand smoke and encourage residents to quit smoking.
The ban on smoking products must be included in public housing tenants' leases, HUD says. Tenants will not be evicted for a single instance of smoking, but could face eviction after several smoking violations.
For those who want help to quit smoking, officials recommend calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) toll-free to talk to a trained coach, or go to www.smokefree.gov.
Yes, if if you don’t want the government to be you master, don’t use a government program.
On the other hand, as much as I realize smoking is bad, and people, for their own health, should not do it, and with the taxes so high on it it is very expensive, I still believe that HUD’s ban - promulgated by Obama’s admin - should have been limited to common and public areas of public housing, and not the housing/apartments.
Why? It is not illegal to smoke, and therefor, in spite of the government supported nature of the housing, how can the government totally ban something that is not illegal. Again, though not a smoker and not supporting smoking, I think those affected should take HUD to court.
As to private housing and private property, that is another matter and private property owners can ban activities, even if they are legal. But the government is everyone’s government, non-smokers and smokers alike, and it should not be discriminating between the two.
Nope. Uncle Sam says marijuana is a controlled substance with no medicinal value and as long as he's paying the rent, he doesn't want it in his house.
[FTR I smoke cigars, but never cigarettes.]
ML/NJ
Tobacco is expensive because of government!
Can that standard be applied to all handouts or just housing?
Don’t hear about testing, just opposition to proposals.
“The ban does not apply to e-cigarettes, snuff and chewing tobacco”
Oops, they better go back and fix the loophole.
I doubt many smokers in public housing will comply with the new rules.
Yes, and it will be so easily enforced....
Marijuana use in any form is not permitted in public housing
unless you live in San Francisco and have a note from a “doctor”
There’s going to a lot of calls
to maintenance to fix bathroom
exhaust fans. Next will be
cameras in every room to make
sure the citizens comply.
I don’t condone smoking, but
I believe in the right to do
so. All this is going to do is
make cigarette smoking on par
with drugs. Almost impossible
to stop, without more taxpayer
dollars to support enforcement.
Live on the governments dime the government can run your life how THEY see fit!!!!
Let me know when you stop these grifters from destroying OUR property. Most of them look like slums.
Just sayin.
Because public housing residents are noted for their law abiding behaviors this law will never be enforced. Hah!
You don’t comply you get evicted very easy enforcement!!!!
If they are getting enough money to survive...
Good luck trying to enforce this one.
I am on the red line.
I quit smoking 20 years ago but I ballooned up and have been working hard to get rid of the weight.
I had a friend (since passed) whose doctor told him to keep smoking since it was better than the weight gain.
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