In an effort to protect children and families from the detrimental effects of secondhand smoke, we are helping local apartment/condo buildings make the decision to become smoke free. Secondhand smoke has been classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as a known cause of cancer and is especially detrimental to the health of children. Approximately 50-75% of children in the United States have detectable levels of cotinine, the breakdown product of nicotine in their blood caused by exposure to secondhand smoke.

To reduce unwanted exposure to secondhand smoke, many apartment/condo buildings are making the choice to create smoke free environments. Breathe California of the Bay Area is working to assist these groups in the process of becoming smoke free and improving the lung health of their residents by:

• Offering local apartment/condo owners and managers a range of tobacco control assistance
• Recruiting potential apartment/condo owners or managers interested in adopting smoke free policies
• Providing anti-tobacco workshops presentation for tenants in apartment/condo complexes that are considering making these changes
• Helping apartment/condo complexes in developing, implementing, and publicizing new policies