MURRAY — The Housing Authority of Murray is having its own version of a smoke-out.
The agency has instituted a new smoke-free policy at all of its housing units, starting Sept. 1. The policy means residents will not be allowed to smoke inside their homes — instead they’ll have to light up in the yard.
WPSD-TV in Paducah reported that Housing Authority Executive Director Faye Dodd says the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has pushed smoke-free public housing across the country.
Walter Wyatt, a smoker for 62 years, says the government agency shouldn’t tell him where he can smoke, particularly not in his own home.
“To tell me what to do in my own place, I don’t think that’s right, and I don’t believe the people that’s putting them orders out would like for someone to tell them what to do in their house,” Wyatt said.
Allowing smoking in homes causes multiple problems, Dodd said. Among the issues are smoke drifting through central air units from smokers to the homes of nonsmokers.
Dodd also cited safety after a recent fire in Murray destroyed two units when a smoker fell asleep and dropped a lit cigarette.
Finally, Dodd says they just can’t afford the costs of cleaning a unit when a smoker moves.
“No one wants to feel limited in their own home. I understand where they’re coming from, but our main objective is the care and feeding of the agency, and we want to stay alive, and being fiscally sound is the best way to do that,” Dodd said.
The idea isn’t to force people to quit smoking, just quit smoking indoors, Dodd said.
Smokers can get an exemption to allow them indoor smoking privileges until their lease is up, Dodd said. With a new lease, though, comes the smoke-free policy. Breaking the policy could result in a lease violation, three of which prompts an eviction.
