Smoke Free Choice in Pasadena Housing

Our Mission:

The Campaign for Smoke-Free Choice in Pasadena Housing believes that our city should join the growing number of California cities that provide residents with protections from unwanted secondhand smoke exposure in their homes. 

The Facts:

* Frequent and recurring exposure to secondhand smoke can cause asthma, heart disease, cancer and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), as well as worsen chronic illness. Children, the elderly, and the disabled are especially vulnerable to tobacco smoke, yet the least able to avoid it.

* In residential buildings, tobacco smoke can drift from unit to unit and to other parts of the building through air vents, hallways, windows, cracks, electrical outlets…etc. Outdoor tobacco smoke can also drift into a unit. 

* At present, Pasadena residents have few, if any, protections from drifting tobacco smoke in their homes.    

Fortunately, there are a number of ways cities can protect residents from involuntary exposure to drifting tobacco smoke in their homes. These include:

* Requiring disclosure – prospective residents must be informed if a housing unit has been previously occupied by a smoker and where smoking is permitted on the premises, if anywhere. Just as you can request a smoke-free room in a hotel, you should be able to do the same with your residence. 

* Grouping smoking/non-smoking units together – if smoking is permitted in units, smoking/non-smoking sections should be created to minimize exposure from smoking to non-smoking units.

* Defining second-hand smoke exposure a public nuisance - allows residents some form of recourse if their home is being polluted by tobacco smoke, a toxic air contaminant according to the CA Air Resources Board.  If loud music is considered a nuisance, shouldn’t secondhand smoke be?

Such basic protections are long overdue. Join the campaign for Smoke-Free Choice in Pasadena Housing today!

The Campaign for Smoke-Free Choice in Pasadena Housing is on Facebook! Check us out!

Learn More:

• US Surgeon General 2010 Report:  How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease
• Matrix of Local Smokefree Housing Policies
• Summary of Sample Smokefree Multi Unit Housing Ordinances in California
• How Landlords Can Prohibit Smoking in Rental Housing
• The State of California Identifies Secondhand Smoke as a "Toxic Contaminant"
• U.S. Surgeon General Report - Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke
• U.S. Surgeon General Report - Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke in Children
• American Lung Association Secondhand Smoke Fact Sheet
• American Cancer Society - Information on the Dangers of Secondhand Smoke
• City of Calabasas passes smokefree housing ordinance - 2006
• Environmental Tobacco Smoke - American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers

What You Can Do:

1)      Contact the Pasadena City Council and ask them to adopt policies that will protect residents from unwanted exposure to drifting tobacco smoke in their residences (see below for Councilmembers contact information)
2)      Join the campaign to be kept up to date on campaign developments, upcoming meetings…etc.
3)      Sign our petition! Petitions can be downloaded here. Completed forms can be faxed, scanned/emailed and/or mailed to the following address: Day One, 175 N. Euclid Ave., Pasadena 91101; fax: 626.792.8056; email: staff [at] dayonepasadena.com
4)    Help raise awareness about the issue by spreading the word and sharing this website with others!    
5)      Write a letter of support to the City Council on behalf of your organization/community group (contact us if you would like a sample template letter).   

Smoke Free Pasadena In the News:

*New*Pasadena May Snuff Out Condo Smokers
*New*Pasadena Chamber Opposes Smoking Ban
Smoke signals:  City considers including apartments and condos in smoking prohibitions
Pasadena and Baldwin Park Pass the Test 
Pasadena City Council considers banning smoking in apartments and condos

Pasadena City Council Updates:

*New* Smoke free multi-unit housing is set to be heard by the Pasadena City Council on Monday April 4th (6:30pm, Council Chambers, Pasadena City Hall).

Smoke free multi unit housing is set to be heard by the Pasadena Public Safety Committee on Monday March 1st (4pm, Room S038 in the basement of Pasadena City Hall). An agenda can be downloaded here.

Our Decision Makers:

Check out the Pasadena City Council's website here

Pasadena City Council Members

Bill Bogaard, Mayor
bbogaard [at] cityofpasadena.net
Phone 626.744.4311;  Fax (626) 744-3727

Victor Gordo, Vice Mayor
vdelacuba [at] cityofpasadena.net
Phone 626.744.4741 or 626.831.8609; Fax 626.398.1836

Jacque Robinson, Councilmember District 1
District1 [at] cityofpasadena.net
Phone 626.744.4444; Fax 626.396.7300

Margaret McAustin, Councilmember District 2
Mfuller [at] cityofpasadena.net
Phone 626.744.4742

Chris Holden, Councilmember District 3
jmcintyre [at] cityofpasadena.net
Phone 626.744.4738; Fax 626.744.4774

Steve Haderlein, Councilmember  District 4
rstone [at] cityofpasadena.net
Phone 626.744.4740

Steve Madison, Councilmember District 6
Smadison [at] cityofpasadena.net
Phone 626.744.4739

Terry Tornek, Councilmember District 7
ttornek [at] cityofpasadena.net
Phone 626.441.4802; Fax 626.441.4806

Contact Us:
For more information, contact Day One at 626.229.9750 or [email protected]
 

Cessation Resources:
California Smokers’ Helpline – 1-800-NO-BUTTS
Become an Ex 
Smokefree.gov
 LA Quits – LA County residents 18 or older can receive a free two week starter kit of nicotine gum or patches

More Resources:
 American Lung Association
 American Cancer Society
 American Heart Association
 Americans for Non-Smokers Rights 
Technical Assistance Legal Center
 Smokefree Apartment House Registry
 Pasadena Public Health Department Tobacco Control Program