Smoking could soon be banned in the United States's public housing

Washington: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed a federal rule on Thursday to require the more than 3,100 public housing agencies across the country to make their properties smoke-free. The rule would ban lit tobacco products in all residences, indoor common areas and administrative offices. Smoking also would be prohibited outdoors within 25 feet of housing and administrative buildings.

Luis Torres is a smoker who has lived in public housing in New York for 44 years. Torres says he doesn't smoke in his apartment, but that the proposed law is going "too far." "That's private. You can do everything you want in your apartment," said Torres.

Kaamar Lebrew, has lived in public housing for 3 years and he thinks the proposed law is a good idea. "Second-hand smoke effects everybody," said Lebrew. "It's actually better for the environment, for everybody - cause smoking isn't like drinking, like no one ever died from second-hand alcoholism."

In a statement, the New York City Housing Authority said: "It is no secret there is an environmental, quality of life, and health impact related to second-hand smoke. As we review HUD's proposed new rule, we want to ensure it puts residents first." In 2009, HUD began encouraging public housing agencies nationwide to adopt smoke-free policies in their buildings and common areas.

Currently, there are more than 228,000 public housing units that are smoke-free. The proposed rule would impact the more than 940,000 units where smoking is allowed. The nation's surgeon general says the rule is needed to protect public housing residents from the dangers of secondhand smoke.