CITY OF BOSTON ● MASSACHUSETTS

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
THOMAS M. MENINO

Dear Boston resident,

Protecting the health of our residents has always been a top priority of my administration and I am proud that the City of Boston has been a national leader in public health. To that end, we are refocusing our efforts on tobacco use, which remains a leading cause of preventable death and disease in Boston.

In 2004, workplaces in Boston became smoke-free, including restaurants and bars. That one step has allowed us to protect millions of Boston residents and visitors from toxic secondhand smoke, and motivate others to quit smoking completely. These days, fewer people are smoking, but the city's most vulnerable - our children and seniors - are still at risk from secondhand smoke exposure in their homes.

There is no risk-free exposure to secondhand smoke, according to former US Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona. Secondhand smoke contributes to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and respiratory problems, including asthma and ear infections. Seniors are at risk of pneumonia, bronchitis, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In addition to health concerns, the presence of cigarettes, matches, and lighters is the number one cause of deadly and costly house fires in the United States.

According to Massachusetts Department of Public Health data for 2006, nearly 85 percent of Boston’s adult population does not smoke. Increasingly owners are making their homes smoke-free and tenants are looking for smoke-free residences. Because we take the health of our residents seriously, we are launching the Boston Smoke-Free Homes campaign and will work with landlords, tenants, homeowners, and condo associations to increase the availability of smoke-free housing in Boston.

As a resident, you are an important part of the campaign to make Boston homes smoke-free. Whether you are a tenant, owner, occupant, or landlord, l invite you to join this campaign by:

• Signing the Smoke-Free Home Pledge and posting it prominently in your home;
• Registering your smoke-free apartments and properties on the Boston Smoke-Free Homes Registry at www.BostonSmokeFreeHomes.org;
• Learning more about the benefits and how-to’s of smoke-free housing by visiting the Registry for guidance on going smoke-free;
• Use this opportunity to quit. Call (617)534-4718 to learn about tobacco cessation programs in your neighborhood.

Please visit www.BostonSmokeFreeHomes.org for more information on what you can do to make Boston smoke-free.

Sincerely,

Thomas Menino
Mayor of Boston