I would like to clear up misconceptions about the recent survey and article about smoke-free housing in the Lewiston-Auburn area. As chair of the policy committee of Healthy Androscoggin, the organization that completed the survey, we would like people to know that it is no one’s intention to ban smoking or even to eliminate smoking in one’s home.

This survey was done in response to several telephone requests from tenants living in public housing. The bottom line is that 76 percent of people living in public housing want to create safe housing environments, which includes clean air. This is consistent with state and national trends.

Neither Auburn nor Lewiston Housing Authority are proposing to abolish all smoking. They are doing what they are supposed to do – slowly and thoughtfully constructing policy that takes into consideration the health and requests of the majority of their tenants. Development of policies to offer smoke-free housing options in some public housing complexes is not a new concept. Landlords have done this successfully around the country, not by evicting tenants, but by attrition as tenants move out and circumstances permit it. Tenants would be given plenty of advance notice and some residents in L-A have already asked to be put on a waiting list to get access to smoke-free housing.

I would like to commend both the housing authorities for their forward thinking and willingness to respond to such an important health issue that disproportionately affects the elderly and children.

Ed Levine, Auburn

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