The facts are clear, tobacco use carries health risks and secondhand smoke is dangerous. We’ve been working with MyHealthyVermont, Cathedral Square at Juniper House, and Champlain Housing Trust partners at Laurentide Apartments in Burlington to provide resources and support for maintaining smoke-free residences, including supporting residents with efforts to quit. To support these efforts we helped organize a new smoking cessation group for their tenants to help residents comply with their non-smoking policy and improve their own health.

BPHC has heard from multi-unit housing providers who say they have a policy that does not allow smoking on their properties, but that they continue to struggle with resident non-compliance. We want to help! We found that housing providers are having success increasing compliance by connecting residents to resources to quit and creating a culture of support. Below are steps to provide support for residents as well as additional structure that can help make compliance with indoor and campus smoke and vape-free policies more successful:

Ensure Your Policy is Clear and Well Communicated

Use simple, accessible language in the policy so residents can understand it.
Identify clear consequences for policy violations and enforce them (including both sightings of smoking or vaping as well as the presence of secondhand smoke odors).
Create a communication plan for the policy (e.g. send annual reminders of the policy to tenants, post signage, and share information on resident bulletin boards).
Establish a culture where residents feel comfortable reporting smoking violations without fear of retaliation. Make it clear that reporting is confidential, and highlight that the goal is to maintain a healthy, safe space for everyone.

Provide Education and Connection to Resources

Share and distribute educational materials about the risks associated with smoking/vaping and secondhand smoke and the benefits of a smoke-free environment for everyone (e.g: on bulletin boards, in resident newsletter). Order free materials from 802Quits here.
Set up a designated space in a common area, such as a community room, lobby, or near the mailboxes, where residents can easily pick up smoking and vaping cessation materials. Make it welcoming, so that residents do not feel pressure, but are supported to explore quitting on their terms. Order free smoking cessation resources here.
Partner with My Healthy Vermont Quit Partners, local healthcare professionals, or the Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community to educate residents on smoke-related risks and cessation options (e.g through resident meetings, newsletter articles, direct emails).

Earlier this year, we introduced a "Wellness Table" in the lobby of the Laurentide Residence, offering quit kits and informational pamphlets on smoking and vaping cessation. The feedback from residents has been overwhelmingly positive—they've shared how much they appreciate having easy, pressure-free access to these resources. Many shared it was comforting to know that help is there whenever they’re ready to make a quit attempt.

Provide Onsite Cessation Support

Offer an on-site Cessation group. Reach out to My Healthy Vermont Quit Partners to set up a FREE on-site or virtual smoking and vaping cessation group for your residents. Studies show that quitting with the support of counseling and medicine can double—or even triple— chances of a successful quit.
Reach out to the Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community to provide an on-site info night or educational presentation about the harms of nicotine use and information about cessation resources.

Work with us!

Our staff at the Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community can help connect you to resources and work with your staff to offer guidance and capacity for your property to address smoking and vaping issues. Smoke-free housing policies are not just a smart health decision; they are also smart for your business. Studies have shown that a smoke-free policy can save you anywhere from two to seven times on the turnover costs of your units. You may also be able to save on your property casualty insurance and will significantly reduce your risk of fire hazards. Plus, most residents want to live in a smoke free environment, only 13% of Vermonters smoke cigarettes! (2022 VT Adult Tobacco Survey). Reach out to our staff for support here.

For more information, you can contact the following resources:

Smoke- and Vape-free Housing website from the VT Department of Health with a robust toolkit that includes sample policies, tenant surveys, letters to residents, and other resources to help landlords, property managers, and owners available here.
Order smoke and vape-free signs for your property from the VT Department of Health
802Quits.org is an awesome resource that offers tips, free resources, and individual quit coach support for adults in Vermont. Order free posters, rack cards, and factsheets here.
For information about setting up or directing residents to group cessation meetings, visit My Healthy Vermont.
MyLifeMyQuit is a text based program for VT teens to get help with quitting smoking or vaping. Teens can text "Start My Quit" to 36072 or go to mylifemyquit.org to chat with an online coach. Order free MyLifeMyQuit posters and rack cards here.

By continuing these efforts, you can help residents lead healthier lives while ensuring your property remains a smoke-free and welcoming space for everyone.

Smoke-Free Housing Compliance: A Path to Cleaner, Safer Living Spaces

My First Year in Prevention: A Guide for New Professionals

Partnering with the Burlington School District to Support School Wellness