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HUD considering smoking ban

Posted at 7:48 PM, Dec 14, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-14 19:48:18-05

Thinking of lighting up a cigarette at home? Well if you live in one particular type of housing, you might eventually have to think again.  

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD wants to ban smoking inside all of its public housing units, including those here in Ohio.

Among residents, mixed emotions are surfacing.

“It's kind of like the community, everybody has some pros and cons regarding smoking and non-smoking,” said Carolyn Gaiter, Chief Operations Officer for CMHA.

"I don't like the idea," CMHA resident Linda Brown said.

She’s upset over the proposal, claiming it’s an invasion of her privacy.

“Smoking is something that you do at your own risk. You know about the health side effects, you know smoking is bad for your health and all of that, but if you choose to smoke and you're not bothering anyone else with the smoke, I don't see why you should be told that you can't do it in your apartment.”

But others disagree. Like Nadine Head, who said cigarette smoke literally makes her sick. She’s ecstatic over the thought that the smell of smoking could be done away with in the hallways of her living quarters.

“I can't stand cigarette smoke. It's the best thing that could ever happen."

HUD says the plan's intention is not to force people to kick their smoking habit against their own will.

"While we're saying that, yes, we want to have public housing agencies enforce smoke-free housing, we are not saying that people may not smoke," said Pamela Ashby, Field Office Director for HUD’s Cleveland office.

The proposal has not yet been finalized. HUD says if there's enough opposition there is a chance the rule could not move forward. However, if it is finalized, public housing departments will have 18 months to enact and enforce the new rule.

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