The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department helped 21 multi-unit housing complexes – including 19 Lucas County Metropolitan Housing Authority (LMHA) sites – go smoke free in May 2015. The Health Department started working with LMHA before its first seven multi-unit housing complexes went smoke free in January 2014, and now all sites are smoke free.
The health department is working with managers at other multi-unit housing complexes to go smoke free. After complex management commits to considering going smoke free, the health department works with managers to survey residents about their views.
Besides surveying residents, here is how the health department is helping Lucas County housing complexes wanting to go smoke free:
• Educating residents about smoking cessation and what resources are available to help them quit.
• Assisting with drafting and establishing a smoke free policy.
• Providing no-smoking signs throughout buildings and other signs on the grounds where smoking is permitted.
• Giving advice about how to enforce smoke free policies.