Condo no-no? - Edmonton Sun

By AJAY BHARDWAJ

Les Hagen with the anti smoking group ASH, is looking to ban people from smoking in their condos and apartments. The days of smokers being able to light up in the privacy of their apartment or condo could be numbered.

An Edmonton-based anti-smoking lobby group wants puffing banned in multi-unit buildings. Such bans have been implemented in other cities.

"We get a lot of calls from people in multi-unit buildings who are breathing second-hand smoke," said Action on Smoking and Health executive director Les Hagen.
"It's a big issue and the public is looking for answers and solutions."

But pro-puffers are already fuming over the idea.
"I think it's outrageous, it's fear-mongering," said Nancy Daigneault, president of the online smokers' rights association, Mychoice.ca. "It's fear-mongering of the worst kind.

WANTS TEST CASE

"It's turning neighbour against neighbour," she said.

Hagen said his tobacco control group is looking for a test case to take to court to tackle the issue.

He said shared ventilation systems in apartment buildings and condominiums lead to tenants breathing second-hand smoke from neighbours.

"It's an uphill battle," Hagen admitted.
But he quickly added that 15 years ago no one could have imagined smoking might be outlawed in bars and restaurants. "It's in the early stages."

A city smoking ban, which prohibits puffing in all Edmonton pubs, clubs and restaurants, including patios, came into effect July 1, 2005.

The bylaw does not apply to private residences.

A spokesman for Boardwalk Rental Communities, the largest rental company in the country, said it doesn't allow tenants to light up in common areas of its property. But renters can smoke in their own suites.

"We have no intention of making our suites smoke-free," said Madeline Berg. "Within a suite, it's almost impossible to enforce."

Francis Thompson, director of policy for the Non-Smokers' Rights Association, admitted there's been talk about trying to get apartment complexes and condos to butt out but there's no push.
He agreed it would be almost unenforceable.

BALCONIES AND PATIOS?

In Winnipeg, Globe General Agencies last year banned smoking in its apartment buildings. The crackdown extends to parking areas, balconies and patios at the company's 75 residential complexes, which hold about 5,000 units. Globe, which also owns properties in Edmonton, couldn't be reached for comment yesterday.