Protect yourself and your family from second-hand smoke

Make your home smoke-free

The best way to make your home smoke-free is not to smoke inside at all. You may think that smoking in only one room will help – but second-hand smoke spreads through your whole home. And opening a window or turning on a fan or air purifier is not enough to clear the air.

Tips

Have a family meeting to talk about making your home smoke-free.
Set up a smoking area outside your home for smokers to use. Make sure it’s not in an area where the smoke will drift into your home through open windows, doors or air vents.
Tell visiting family and friends that your home is smoke-free.

Multi-unit buildings

Your first step is to stop the smoke from getting inside your unit. Look for cracks and spaces between walls and floors and for openings around windows, doors and plumbing. Then block or seal all these open spaces with filling or sealing materials.

Tips

Use materials like caulk or spray-in foam to fill all the small openings or spaces.
Add weather-stripping around your front door and balcony door.
Put door sweeps on the bottom of those doors.
Place special gaskets behind electrical switch plates and outlet plates to block smoke.
Get the property manager to make the repairs to seal off the smoke if you can’t.
If the smoke is coming from a specific unit, ask the landlord or property manager to try to block it using the same methods you used.
Read your rental agreement. If all or part of your building is smoke-free, ask the management to enforce it.
Get together with neighbours who are concerned about second-hand smoke to advocate for a no-smoking policy in the building or on your floor.

Make your car smoke-free

Second-hand smoke is even more dangerous inside your car because the chemicals from second-hand smoke are even stronger in the small space. The chemicals remain in the car, even when the cigarette is no longer burning. Some people think that rolling down the windows gets rid of the chemicals – but it doesn’t.

Tips

Don’t smoke in a car with a child inside. In most provinces and territories, there is a ban on smoking in vehicles with children under a certain age. Some cities have their own bans in place.
Let all your passengers know that your car is smoke-free.
Give your car a thorough cleaning –vacuum and shampoo the upholstery.
Clean out or remove the ashtray.
Stop for breaks on long trips so that smokers can smoke outside away from your car.

Work, outdoors and travel

In Canada, almost all enclosed workplaces are smoke-free. And to protect kids, smoking is banned on most school grounds and in some parks, playgrounds and beaches. Smoking is also banned on some restaurant patios and different outdoor sports arenas and entertainment venues.

Being smoke-free in our country is getting easier – smoking is banned in all enclosed public spaces, including inside restaurants and bars (except in Nunavut). But there are still many countries that allow smoking in public places.

Tips

Talk to your employer about ways to reduce your exposure if your workplace isn’t smoke-free.
If someone is smoking in a smoke-free zone, let them know and ask them to stop smoking.
Ask if the patio is smoke-free. If it’s not, you can choose to eat inside.
Call the sports or entertainment venue before you book your ticket to find out what your smoke-free seating options are.
Ask for a no-smoking room when staying at a hotel. Even better, choose one that’s completely smoke-free.
Book a cruise on a smoke-free ship.
Search online or ask your travel agent for smoke-free options.

Get involved

Help make your home and community a healthier place to live. Take action to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke:

Support local bylaws and campaigns that ban smoking.
Help educate people about the dangers of second-hand smoke. Share our brochure with someone you know.
Contact your municipal office to tell them that you want more smoke-free housing.
If you smoke, take steps to quit. Help is available.

Last modified on: 13 December 2011