Nationwide public housing smoking ban presents some challenges, scholar says

LAWRENCE — A University of Kansas public health scholar is available to discuss issues surrounding the nationwide public housing smoking ban.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Wednesday the rule will go into effect early next year, affecting more than 1.2 million households.

Jarron Saint Onge, KU associate professor of sociology and health policy and management at KU Medical Center, researches social determinants of population health and health disparities by race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. His publications include a 2015 study in the American Journal of Public Health that found new mothers who experience higher levels of social stressors are the least likely to have rules that ban smoking in the home, which could expose their infants to secondhand smoke and increase health risks.

Saint Onge said the overall goal behind the smoking ban is important, but there could be challenges with implementing and enforcing it that could also create difficulties for low-income families.

"Creating a culture of non-smoking along with proposed cessation programs is clearly beneficial for all. There remains concerns about penalties associated with smoking and the potential repercussions. Fears of eviction — or financial penalties — will potentially lead people to conceal smoking," Saint Onge said. "It is possible that people would rather smoke indoors — potentially increasing risk of involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke — rather than either opening windows or smoking 25 feet away from the front door, particularly at night in dangerous neighborhoods or having to leave sleeping children. Also, given frequent issues with public housing conditions, it may be that residents who continue to smoke indoors or have little control over others smoking in these environments may be less inclined to report poor living conditions or maintenance issues."

To arrange an interview with Saint Onge, contact George Diepenbrock at 785-864-8853 or gdiepenbrock@ku.edu.