Tobacco-free housing is a priority of Faribault, Martin and
Watonwan SHIP, and those counties have made great progress in educating and
collaborating with housing complex managers on the impact smoking has on
residents of multi-unit housing.
The work began in 2016 with SHIP working on policies, resources
and tools to use in meetings with housing managers. It didn’t take long, about
six months, for the Mayberry Reality Apartments in St. James, to go
tobacco-free, impacting 137 units. In May of 2018, that number has grown to 559
within the Faribault, Martin, & Watonwan County Region!
Linda, a resident of Friendship
Village in Fairmont, started smoking when she was 15. Her complex went
smoke-free on June 1, 2017, spurring Linda to quit. After lighting up for 50
years, she is now seven months tobacco-free.
“My dog is happy. My cat is happy. My
house is happy and I’m happy!” Instead of using the money Linda would have used
to purchase cigarettes, she saved that money and bought herself an iPhone. “Where
have I been? I LOVE IT!” said Linda.
Linda’s charisma and passion to better
her health and others has led a friend to quit smoking. “It hasn’t been easy. It takes a lot of
determination and lots of willpower. A LOT of willpower.”
Linda is happy to be living smoke-free
and is a proud advocate of her smoke-free building. SHIP plans to continue with
its efforts in 2018 and beyond, and hope to surpass the 600 unit mark.
