The vicious circle of smoking in social housing

One in three people living in social housing are smokers. This is twice the rate in the general population.[1]. Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) published a study in 2019 which reveals inequalities in passive smoking depending on the type of housing.

Poor smokers tend to be more dependent, smoke more frequently, and have more difficulty quitting.[2]Smoking exacerbates poverty and tobacco-related expenses are a significant cost to smokers.[3]. The difficulties of quitting are also increased because of the smoking environment.

This prevalence is a factor of exposure to tobacco smoke for all the inhabitants who surround smokers. Children growing up in communities where smoking is socially acceptable are more likely to become smokers than others.[4]. Passive smoking can also have an impact on neighbors who are also exposed to the smoke. This exposure is all the more damaging because it continues during sleep time and individuals spend a majority of their time at home.[5].

Finally, smoking can be a factor in the unsanitary conditions of social housing: it damages the walls and impregnates the premises. This can cause risks of third-party smoking for the occupants of the accommodation. It can also cause domestic fires.

The prevalence of tobacco in social housing is largely responsible for the reproduction of smoking behaviors in socially devalued communities. These prevalence levels are all the more locked in because they are self-perpetuating.[6].