Similarly, a year later, a landlord in Oregon was sued by a tenant who was suffering from smoke coming from a lower apartment. These are illustrations of a growing body of case law that holds landlords responsible for exposing tenants to secondhand smoke. There are a number of benefits to implementing a smoke-free policy, in addition to the avoidance of legal liability. Since most tenants do not smoke, they will appreciate the smoke-free environment. There are sound economic reasons to implement a smoke-free policy.
Smoking significantly increases fire hazard, and boosts cleaning and maintenance costs.
Also, many property insurance companies offer a discount for buildings with no-smoking policies. Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, revised. Carlson, R. Smokefree Air Everywhere. Sweda, E. Summary of Legal Cases Regarding Smoking in the Workplace and Other Places.