Assisted Living Facilities

Benefits of Smoke-Free Assisted Living Facilities

  • Protect residents and employees from secondhand smoke.
  • Reduce fire risk.
  • Reduce cleaning costs.
  • Lower insurance premiums.1
  • Reduce labor costs.2

Who’s affected and what’s the problem?

  • Missouri law requires health care facilities, including nursing homes, to be smoke-free indoors except in designated areas. Designated areas must have:
    • Proper ventilation and barriers to isolate the smoking area.
    • Prominent signs must be posted indicating “no-smoking” or “smoking area”.
    • Read more about the law here: Missouri statutes 191.765-191.777 regarding the Indoor Clean Air Act (Smoking Regulations).
  • Although Missouri law allows nursing homes to have designated smoking areas, scientific evidence has firmly established that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke.
      • Secondhand smoke can infiltrate into other units through hallways and stairwells
    • The elderly and people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to the health risks associated with secondhand smoke.3
    • Adults exposed to secondhand smoke are at risk for heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.4
  • Exposing residents, employees, and visitors to secondhand smoke may also be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which states that neither employers nor owners of places of public accommodation shall discriminate against individuals with disabilities.5
    • Disabilities can include respiratory conditions such as allergies, bronchitis and asthma, which can be aggravated by secondhand smoke.
  • Allowing smoking indoors results in the buildup of thirdhand smoke. Thirdhand smoke is the residue left behind from cigarette smoke and cannot be removed through normal cleaning methods.6
  • Most fire deaths at home are caused by cigarettes. Smoke-free facilities reduce the risk, costs, and liability associated with fires.1

What can you do?

  • Use the resources below to implement a tobacco-free policy at your facility.
  • Ask for a copy of the smoking policy before moving into or moving a loved one into a facility.
  • Check this list to see if your city has a local law that requires nursing homes to be smoke-free: 100% Smokefree Nursing Homes
  • Write a letter to your facility’s administrator about the benefits of smoke-free policies and the dangers of secondhand smoke.
  • Document health issues and symptoms as a result of secondhand smoke exposure in writing and with your doctor.
  • Submit a complaint to your facility administrator along with a letter from your doctor documenting symptoms you’ve experienced as a result of secondhand smoke exposure.
  • If you have been abused, bullied, or neglected as a result of complaining about secondhand smoke exposure, call the Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-392-0210.

Resources

References