Increasingly, across North America, buildings are going smoke-free - not just in common areas as mandated by law, but in individual units, said François Damphousse of the Non-Smokers Rights Association. "Smoking in multi-unit buildings affects the non-user, unless the unit is hermetically sealed," Damphousse said. "Buildings share air ducts and heating."
The city of Bluefield was recently awarded a $1,000 grant from Keep America Beautiful Cigarette Litter Prevention Program. This money will allow Bluefield to buy cigarette butt receptacles and fund a public awareness campaign, said Melanie Farmer, community relations coordinator.
These receptacles will be placed throughout downtown Bluefield to reduce the cigarette butt litter ending up on the streets and sidewalks.
Effective Monday, smokers “will have to walk clear out beyond our parking lot to the edge of our property” and step off the property to smoke on the public sidewalk, he said.The agency provides mental health counseling and drug-related services and treatment for children, families and adults.Plenty of the agency’s clients smoke, as do a dwindling number of employees, Levine said.“Traditionally, clients in the mental health system are notorious smokers, and it is often the case that they smoke because it helps to alleviate some of the side effects of the psychiatric medications they are taking,” Levine said. “There are lots of our clients who do smoke out there.”
