Assessment of tenant support for tobacco-free policies in multi-unit dwellings

Background: There is a growing trend in the United States for adopting tobacco-free policies in multi-unit dwellings to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke; however, property owners/managers have concerns of the impact of such policies on tenant dissention and market pool availability. The present pilot study assessed tenant support for various tobacco-control policies to inform property owners/managers concerned with policy adoption. Methods: In collaboration with a local property manager, surveys were mailed to a convenient sample of tenants in three apartment complexes. Forty-five tenants participated. Of these, 13% were classified as current smokers and 56% as students. Fisher-Yates exact tests assessed differences among smokers and non-smokers. Results: Nearly half of respondents (49%) indicated exposure to smoke odor from elsewhere in the multi-unit dwelling. Respondents indicated various levels of support for different policies: 91% supported a smoking ban for indoor common areas, 76% supported tobacco-free outdoor spaces, and 69% supported a smoking ban for individual units. Moreover, the majority of respondents (62%) supported a comprehensive policy banning smoking in all indoor and outdoor areas of the property; support was significantly higher among non-smokers than smokers (p < .05). Conclusions: Results suggest that the majority of tenants in multi-unit dwellings support smoke-free housing. Given the differential support for these policy types, phasing in tobacco-free policies beginning with common indoor areas and eventually moving toward individual units may cause less tenant dissention. This pilot study suggests that information can be collected from residents and given to property owners/managers to inform tobacco policy decisions.