Tobacco Smoke Entering Homes in Multi-Unit Dwellings in Ontario

Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is a long standing public health issue. The Smoke-Free Ontario Act protects many Ontarians from exposure to SHS in enclosed public places and workplaces including restaurants and bars, casinos, in vehicles, and in the common areas of multi-unit dwellings (MUDs), but exposure still occurs in MUDs through drifting smoke from neighbouring dwellings, shared indoor spaces, ventilation systems, and through windows and doors. This update reviews the extent of reported exposure to SHS in multi-unit dwellings in Ontario and notes regional differences among the province’s seven Tobacco Control Area Networks (TCANs).