Smokefree Homes

A smokefree home is a home and car where nobody smokes inside, including visitors.

We can help you make your home and car smokefree. Having a smokefree home and car is the best thing you can do to protect you and your family’s health. For more information please take a look at the leaflets and posters below or contact a community stop smoking advisor for more information.

What are the risks of smoking at home or in the car?

Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 harmful chemicals. Over 50 of these chemicals cause cancer.
90% of these chemicals stick to the walls, clothes, furniture, hair, and skin for up to two weeks.
The home and car are the main places where children are exposed to tobacco smoke.
Children and babies exposed to tobacco smoke in the home and car inhale the equivalent of 60-150 cigarettes a year.
Exposure to tobacco smoke is linked to cot death.
Children and babies are more vulnerable because their immune system is not fully developed, they have smaller airways and faster breathing rates and so inhale more dust containing tobacco particles (up to 40 times more for their body weight than adults).

Why make your home totally smokefree?

People often think they can remove the risk from tobacco smoke by opening windows, or not smoking in front of the children, but you can't. There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke. The best way to protect you and your family from the hazards of tobacco smoke is to not allow anyone to smoke inside your home.

Why cars as well?

The confined space increases the level of exposure and the harm caused. Opening the windows is not and does not remove the smoke as it simply blows back into the car and the chemicals can linger for up to two weeks.

What are the other benefits?

As well as all the health benefits to the whole family, having a Smokefree home:

smells nicer
looks cleaner
makes children less likely to take up smoking
reduces the risk of cigarette related house fires.

As part of the Smokefree Homes initiative the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are offering free home fire safety checks.

Help is available

If you would like a free fire safety check or support to stop smoking please contact the NHS Sheffield Stop Smoking Service. Stop smoking support is available across the city including support for pregnant women, young people, workplace sessions and sessions are also delivered in GP practices, Pharmacies and in community settings.

Please contact the Sheffield NHS Stop Smoking Service for more information on 0800 068 4490 or drop into the QuitStop, the city centre drop-in service. The shop is located at 39 Charles Street, opposite Howden House.