Brooklyn group pushes for smoke-free apartments
First, cities across the U.S. cracked down on smoking in offices and office buildings. Then, at least in New York, smoking in bars and restaurants was forbidden, putting an end to the familiar “smoking areas” and “no-smoking areas.” Then, Mayor Bloomberg forbid smoking in New York City beaches and parks.
Now, there’s a growing movement to ban smoking in apartment houses – not only in lobbies or hallways, but in the apartments themselves. In Brooklyn, it’s being pushed by the Brooklyn Smoke-Free Partnership, headquartered on Throop Avenue.
When the idea first surfaced, it was considered somewhat edgy. In 2003, the board of one co-op building at 180 West End Ave., Manhattan, voted not to approve any apartment sales unless the buyer agreed that neither the buyer nor any visitors would smoke in that apartment.