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Creating Tobacco-Free Spaces

Creating Tobacco-Free Spaces

Smoke from cigarettes and other burning tobacco products, as well as aerosol from e-cigarettes (also known as vapes), can harm people nearby who are not using these products.
 
Tobacco-free spaces protect children and adults from sickness and disease and help people live healthy lives.
 
Tobacco-free spaces also help kids see the importance of never starting to use tobacco and keep outdoor spaces free of tobacco trash.
 

View looking up through green leafy treetops to blue sky overhead

  • Why are tobacco-free outdoor areas important?

    1. Healthy environments for healthy living. Secondhand smoke and e-cigarette aerosol can cause heart disease, cancer, breathing problems, and ear infections and can make asthma worse. Children, older adults, people with special health needs, and pregnant women are most at danger from exposure, even when outdoors.
       
    2. No tobacco trash.
      • Cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world.
      • Butts are slow to break down and cost a lot to clean up.
      • Tobacco litter can be deadly to wildlife and people. It can cause stomach problems and poisoning when eaten by fish and other aquatic animals. People who eat fish that have tobacco-related chemicals in their systems may also become sick.
      • E-cigarettes have batteries that can leak heavy metals like mercury and lead, as well as battery acid, into the ground.
      • Children often pick up e-cigarette trash and cigarette butts and place them in their mouths - putting them at risk for getting very sick or even dying.
      • Butts and e-cigarettes that are still burning or are not turned off can cause fires and burns.
         
    3. Positive model for youth. Tobacco-free outdoor spaces show youth that being tobacco-free is common. Allowing commercial tobacco use in parks, on beaches, and in other recreation areas where youth and families with young children go sends a dangerous message. Commercial tobacco use is not what we want to show children. Tobacco-free outdoor spaces have been shown to help kids stay tobacco free.
       
    Sault Tribe Housing Authority Tobacco-Free Playground Sign Thumbnail This is a small version of a poster developed by the Sault Tribe Housing Authority in partnership with the Sault Tribe Strategic Alliance for Health Project. Click on the image to open a larger version.

    Resources

  • Resources to support smoke-free housing can be found on our Smoke-Free Housing webpage, including sections for residents, property managers, public health partners, and fire departments.

    Request Smoke-Free Housing Assistance

    The MDHHS Tobacco Section provides tools and resources to help residents, landlords, and municipalities take action on secondhand smoke concerns and adopt smoke-free policies in multi-unit housing. Fill out the MDHHS Smoke-Free Housing Form or email MDHHS-TobaccoSection@michigan.gov to request technical assistance or training.

    MDHHS staff cannot enforce smoke-free housing policies except in apartment and condominium indoor common areas under the Smoke-Free Indoor Air Law (Public Act 188 of 2009, as amended). To submit a complaint, please call 517-241-6303.
     

  • Tobacco is typically not allowed inside workplace buildings. But, it's also important to create tobacco-free outdoor worksite campuses to encourage commercial tobacco users to quit and create a healthy workplace for all employees. Examples of tobacco-free outdoor worksite campuses include county office properties, hospital campuses, and the grounds of community agencies and businesses.

    Resources

  • cover of MDHHS report entitled Tobacco-Free Report Card: Michigan K-12 Public School Districts (2023)Tobacco-Free Report Card: Michigan K-12 Public School Districts (2023)
    In August 2023, the MDHHS Tobacco Section released a report that reviewed and assessed current tobacco policies at K-12 public school districts in the state. The purpose of the report is to reveal trends and educate and encourage school district decision makers to adopt comprehensive tobacco-free and smoke-free policies to promote health and wellness for their youth and their communities.
     
    The MDHHS Tobacco Section provides free training and technical assistance to support tobacco-free policy adoption, strengthening policies, and improving equitable enforcement. Call 517-335-8376 to request technical assistance and/or training.

         ▶ Read the full report.PDF icon
     

     
    Please note: Additional information about tobacco-free schools can be found on our Prevent Kids from Using Tobacco webpage.
     

  • At least 99 percent of cigarette smokers start before the age of 26, and young adults have the highest rates of adult e-cigarette use in Michigan. This makes college and university campuses an important setting for applying strategies to prevent the next generation of tobacco users.

    Initiatives to adopt 100 percent tobacco-free and smoke-free policies on campuses aim to change social norms, prevent young adults from initiating tobacco products, decrease secondhand smoke and aerosol exposure, support quitting, and reduce tobacco litter.
     

    cover of MDHHS report entitled Tobacco-Free Report Card: Michigan Colleges and UniversitiesTobacco-Free Report Card: Michigan Colleges and Universities (2022)
    In April 2022, the MDHHS Tobacco Section released a report that reviewed and assessed current tobacco policies at public and private colleges and universities in the state. The purpose of the report is to reveal trends and educate and encourage college decision makers to adopt comprehensive tobacco-free and smoke-free policies to promote health and wellness for their campus communities.
     
    The MDHHS Tobacco Section provides free training and technical assistance to support tobacco-free policy adoption, strengthening policies, and improving equitable enforcement. Call 517-335-8376 to request technical assistance and/or training.

         ▶ Read the full reportPDF icon
     

    Additional Resources

  • Information about tobacco-free restaurants and bars can be found on our Michigan's Smoke-Free Indoor Air Law webpage.
     

  • Information about tobacco-free vehicles can be found on our The Dangers of Secondhand & Thirdhand Smoke webpage.
     

 

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