Healthwatch: Renters Beware
By: Tara Joyce
Updated: January 18, 2013
She has never smoked in her life, but Beatrice has COPD and nodules on her lungs from inhaling cigarette smoke from others. Like her, if you live in an apartment building with smoking neighbors, you do too.
Each year an estimated 60,000 deaths are attributed to secondhand smoke. That is more than all fatal car crashes. While 28 states prohibit smoking in public places, smoking in apartments is legal. So now property owners like Pam Berger are adopting smoke-free policies.
Pam's goal is to provide everyone with a healthier environment and the idea is catching on as more landlords realize it is something they can legally do.
In the last six years smoke-free policies have increased 1,300 percent and tenants are thankful.
Each year an estimated 60,000 deaths are attributed to secondhand smoke. That is more than all fatal car crashes. While 28 states prohibit smoking in public places, smoking in apartments is legal. So now property owners like Pam Berger are adopting smoke-free policies.
Pam's goal is to provide everyone with a healthier environment and the idea is catching on as more landlords realize it is something they can legally do.
In the last six years smoke-free policies have increased 1,300 percent and tenants are thankful.
