Tobacco Industry Efforts to Respond to Smoke-Free Policies in Multi-Unit Housing: An Evaluation of Tobacco Industry Documents.

Joshua Miller,Maya Vijayaraghavan

doi:10.3390/ijerph19053053

Abstract

The tobacco industry’s efforts to undermine clean indoor air policies in the hospitality industry, public spaces and workspaces is well documented, but less is known about their efforts to respond to the implementation of smoke-free policies in multi-unit housing (MUH). From 1988 to 2018, public and private multi-unit housing properties voluntarily implemented smoke-free polices in their buildings. We searched the UCSF’s Truth Tobacco Industry Documents Library to examine whether the tobacco industry responded to the implementation of these smoke-free policies in MUH using the same strategies they deployed to respond to smoke-free policies in other industries. We found that the tobacco industry used two primary strategies to respond to smoke-free policies in multi-unit housing: (1) distortion, which included funding studies that downplayed the link between SHS and asthma among low-income, inner-city MUH residents; and (2) deflection, which included engaging in corporate responsibility for youth living in low-income MUH. Despite these efforts, local jurisdictions continued to voluntarily implement smoke-free policies in MUH, pointing to a potential counter strategy to the tobacco industry influence.

Highlights

The tobacco industry’s efforts to challenge indoor smoke-free policies are well documented [1,2], but less is known about their efforts to respond to smoke-free policies in multi-unit housing (MUH)
Low-income MUH residents have a higher prevalence of tobacco use than the general population, due in part to tobacco industry targeting of these groups [6]
The tobacco industry explicitly funded research projects that downplayed the impact of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure on inner city residences and engaged in corporate responsibility events to partner with low-income public housing agencies (PHA)

Summary

Introduction

The tobacco industry’s efforts to challenge indoor smoke-free policies are well documented [1,2], but less is known about their efforts to respond to smoke-free policies in multi-unit housing (MUH). Understanding the tobacco industries’ attempts to respond to smoke-free policies in MUH is important because one-third of all renters, including those living in MUH, are exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) [3]. Without smoke-free policies, non-smoking MUH residents are at risk for harms related to SHS exposure. Smoke-free policies in MUH is relevant to addressing tobacco-related health equity [5]. Over 35% of public MUH residents are disabled, 41% are children, and 32% are elderly, all populations that are vulnerable to SHS exposure and experience heightened morbidity and mortality from SHS [1]. Low-income MUH residents have a higher prevalence of tobacco use than the general population, due in part to tobacco industry targeting of these groups [6]. Understanding how the tobacco industry responded to the implementation of smoke-free policies in MUH can be critical to reducing disparities in SHS exposure among low-income and marginalized populations in the U.S

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