After two years of cigarette smoke seeping into her home, a Langley mom has launched an online petition to have smoking banned in all multi-unit residential buildings.
The for a B次元官网网址淢ulti-Unit Dwelling Smoking Ban in B.C.B次元官网网址� by Naomi Baker (using her maiden name of Naomi Goffman) went up Sunday afternoon (Aug. 26) with a goal of 1,000 signatures.
By Tuesday, the number of signatures was past 700.
Baker said it was the birth of her daughter Faith three months ago that convinced her to take action.
B次元官网网址淭hat definitely put us on high alert,B次元官网网址� Baker said.
B次元官网网址淲e are bringing our little baby into an ashtray.B次元官网网址�
Baker and her husband bought their condo in Langley City in 2016.
They said they have been dealing with second-hand smoke coming into their unit through the walls and fixtures on a B次元官网网址渘ear-daily basisB次元官网网址� since they purchased their suite.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e tried to seal every crack, use fans, open windows and avoid the rooms where the smoke is present,B次元官网网址� Baker said.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e tried approaching the neighbour who smokes.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e also lodged multiple complaints to the strata asking for them to help address the issue, but all of our attempts have been unsuccessful to date. B次元官网网址�
Shortly before the Bakers moved in, strata council records show there was an attempt to make the building smoke-free, Baker said.
B次元官网网址淭he motion lost by one vote.B次元官网网址�
The next year, a motion to ban smoking on common property bylaw passed, something the Bakers said has actually made the situation worse because the smoker canB次元官网网址檛 go out on their balcony.
B次元官网网址淚 have a right to life, I have a right to health,B次元官网网址� Baker said.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not allowed to poison anyone else.B次元官网网址�
The Bakers put their condo up for sale in June.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e tolerated it as long as we can,B次元官网网址� Baker said.
The Times has reached out to the condo strata council for comment.
The petition asks Selina Robinson, the minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, to make all multi-unit dwellings in BC smoke-free.
B次元官网网址淪moke-free multi-unit dwellings will vastly improve the health of British Columbians, reduce the risk of apartment (and) condo fires, and reduce cost of health care by reducing preventable health issues caused by second hand smoke.B次元官网网址�
The petition notes that the legislature currently doesnB次元官网网址檛 accept digital signatures, and asks supporters to contact their local MLA and the minister directly.
Jack Boomer, director of the Clean Air Coalition of BC, said they get an average of two to three complaints a week about second-hand smoke.
B次元官网网址淲e understand the frustration,B次元官网网址� Boomer said.
B次元官网网址淲hen people go to their workplace, theyB次元官网网址檙e protected (by law from second-hand smoke), but when they are in their castle, their home, they arenB次元官网网址檛,B次元官网网址� Boomer said.
He noted with recreational cannabis smoking about to become legal, B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think second-hand smoke problems are about to go away.B次元官网网址�
According to a new survey commissioned by the coalition, most people would support government measures to increase the amount of smoke-free multi-unit housing.
The May 2018 poll found that half of BC multi-unit housing residents surveyed have experienced second-hand smoke exposure and nearly 90 per cent consider it harmful.
Seventy per cent said the provincial government should make all new market rate and social housing complexes 100 per cent smoke-free and the same amount supported a no-smoking bylaw by default that applies to all units, including balconies.
Baker plans to create a B次元官网网址減aper-based petitionB次元官网网址� that will meet the legislatureB次元官网网址檚 submission guidelines.
Under the current B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址� in B.C. people are not allowed to B次元官网网址渟moke tobacco, hold lighted tobacco, use an e-cigarette or hold an activated e-cigaretteB次元官网网址� in common areas of apartment buildings, condominiums and dormitories or transit shelters.
That includes elevators, hallways, parking garages, party or entertainment rooms, laundry facilities and lobbies.
