The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Smoke Free Homes Registry, which was launched in 2012, has reached 1,000 properties. In order to be entered in the registry, a property must have at least one building that is 100 percent smoke free and must have this specified in the lease language.

“The best way to protect against exposure to secondhand smoke is to make sure the places we live and work are smoke free,” said IDPH Division of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Director Jerilyn Oshel. “Globally, 6 million people die each year due to tobacco-related causes and 600,000 of those are people die from secondhand smoke.”

Benefits of becoming a smoke free property include:

• Free signage
• Lower cleaning and maintenance costs
• Property listing on the free Smoke Free Homes Registry
• Assistance with implementation, including sample lease language

More than 80 percent of all Iowans are non-smokers and generally prefer to rent from non-smoking properties. Residents of a smoke free property who use tobacco are given information about Quitline Iowa to help them quit smoking.

All Iowans can take advantage of the program by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visiting www.quitlineiowa.org to enroll. Registration specialists and Quit Coach® staff members are available 24 hours a day. To learn more about smoke free properties in Iowa visit https://smokefreehomes.iowa.gov.

For assistance in having your property go smoke free, email smokefreehomes@idph.iowa.go or call 515-281-6225.