Perhaps you would agree with me that, when you worked your entire life to earn and save enough money, then finally aim to invest in a place called home, your main goal is to live peacefully and avoid disturbance and nuisance to enjoy the fruit of your hard work you so well-deserved because of your sacrifices. 

I decided to share my story and maybe, if it doesn’t benefit me directly, to help anyone facing the same challenges from newcomers or renters in the community you lived in many years before these newcomers arrived, because some owners moved out and rented.  I want to tell my story, you may relate to and bring awareness to people, both mindful as well as not so mindful of others around. 

 In economics, we talk about scarcity and, in the context of environment or community living this case, one should keep in mind the term “scarcity” considering space is also limited and smoke of any kind is NOT static either to stay around of its originator or the smoker and the very person whose CHOSE to smoke knowing very well its negative impact on health as opposed to non-smoker.

The majority of us with people like me who NEVER smoke, or those who used to smoke and/or those who are still fighting - and I can only encourage those trying at least because I understand addiction even if some and not all smokers are purely selfish -to quit smoking for the same reason that is cigarette smoking and any smoke into your lungs, particularly for young children and babies in those affected apartments and condos- SMOKE is bad for not just the smoker but also put the non-smoker at great health risks through secondhand smoke.  

Unless smokers are mindful enough to smoke from a distance and away from their decks, doorsteps, their next neighbor's doors or windows, a smoke-free environment is the only way to protect and save lives from second-hand smoke. I lived in San Francisco, CA, also in a beautiful area called Polaris in Columbus, OH in a smoke-free community where smokers had a separate smoking area and dogs their own park across the street from the community where they can go relieve themselves, away from those who chose not to smoke or own dogs, to keep residents and especially children and fire mothers healthy breathing fresh air and enjoying outdoors without smell from cigarettes or dog waste.

Within a multi-unit community and with back-to-back and side-to-side adjacent homes, in many other states, and particularly in Virginia, few smokers are dangerously impacting numerous residents through secondhand smoke infiltrations inside neighbors' units, and I am one of them who currently present numerous symptoms of Nicotine as per CDC and other scientific statistical data. This should get HOA to implement a smoke-free policy like The Point at Polaris community, where I enjoyed a healthy living, thanks to management rules to protect the non-smoking majority and mothers-to-be. One of my friends and a neighbor couple was J von on Jovi's immediate cousin.. For more details, visit The Point at Polaris Free-smoking community website or click   or click any of the links below:  https://www.livepointeatpolaris.com/​ ;https://www.livepointeatpolaris.com/amenities

As a single person and a Technology Business Consulting Manager in charge of the North America region, I live in suitcases and I am often away on business trips within the US and Canada.   When not in business hotels or Corporate Furnished apartments, I always dream of living in a quiet place by a lake or creek.  Having a home within a community with a house overlooking woods away from traffic noise, and not facing any other homes directly. 

In 2004, after a long search from a list of homes, I found what I was looking for. After eliminating several of the homes visited, it finally came down to two homes: a single home and a condo; the two met my main criteria in that they were both homes in the same community and near a lake area.  However, one of the two homes or the family home was far too big for a single person,  facing the main road, but still in the lake area.  As for the other home, which means the condo, although still large with 3 levels, was a reasonable size, and most importantly, it had a view not only of the lake but also overlooking the woods with a creek running by. 

I decided to purchase the condo by selling my technology stock and using my 20 years' savings since university and my early corporate career.  This was my dream, and becoming a first-time home owner.  The market interest rate was high, most homes around me were empty, and a couple of months later, the left and right condos were purchased by two owners who later became close friends.  We went to each other's homes, invited and consulted, warning each other when we BBQ, party, or hold events that could disturb.  

I also visited the left/right homes before choosing mine.   They were similar, but only 2 bedrooms instead of 3 and I didn't like them because the kitchen and living room were and I like to keep my 2nd and 3rd level private for Friday I work from my home office where I meet with my team sometimes for business within the living area by the kitchen. 

Long story short, my dream is of a peaceful place with mindful neighbors or like-minded friends who, like me, NEVER smoked and maybe drank occasionally to socialize.  I found everything I needed and saved for.  I was blessed, and still am, to live between the two, meaning one owner on my left and the other on my right, and most importantly, neither of them smoked. After fourteen years, the one on my left was expecting a second child and moved out of town into a single-family home, and next, and sadly, was the passing of my other friend on the right this time.  How many find true friendships and friends in their neighbors?  It was almost too good to be true.

Fast forward, the left condo was sold,  the new owner chose to lease to a couple (noisy, frequent movements in and out, burning smelly lamp fuel on their deck, and BBQ smoke, all part of infiltrations), and the new owners on the right are careless heavy smokers.  

And the unit back to mine, sold summer-fall 2021 to a couple with a renter (Must be a condo of 3 bedrooms as mine) and all these new comers are HEAVY smokers which cigarette smoke add to the lamp and BBQ smoke DESPITE the fact I shut all vents and closed doors and winders and had to stand by each time the door or window not knowing who will be smoking next to ensure no more smoke into my home to be distributed to all 3 levels living me to barricade in the master bathroom, the only place left to hide from secondhand smoke and be prisoner in my own home till they all sleep and I check air quality with Alexa and my now sinuses turned painful irritated by smoke). 

Yes, to avoid further headaches and all the secondhand smoke symptoms, the only place to escape is my bathroom, providing no cooking smell from the left unit house by the renters' couple using a lamp and BBQ smokers filling smoke in my master bedroom and food smell in my master bathroom.  Thank Goodness, although nauseous, so far no foods smell ever killed anyone that I know of, as secondhand dangers of smoke.

I reported secondhand smoke triggering headaches, rather back head pains and sore throat, nose running from smoke chemicals or strong smells, and feeling nauseous due to daily headaches which start INSTANTLY as I smell cigarette smoke.  Disciplined with a healthy style, regularly exercising like most of you probably do to stay fit and healthy, I eat organic, and live a healthy life till a nightmare started with secondhand smoke infiltration.

As a very independent person, I have to go through HOA, I face their slow RE-action if NOT slow or  NO action AT ALL, considering HOA (Home Owners Association) should proactively establish rules from approved laws to protect all residents, not just smokers 'right to smoke".  An indoor smoking rule was written and implemented on 9/2021 to prevent indoor smoking only, not even stopping proximity smoking on decks or porches of thin-walled condo adjacent units, and as we know, the builders' focus was first profit and people come last.  However, it is still unclear how far the application of the smoke or enforcement of "smoke free policy" goes to protect the health of residents (and those declining as mine) effectively while still awaiting answer how HOA can protect non-smokers to ensure the health of residents like me to make sure minority smokers aren't ruling to continuously poisoning our lungs with Nicotine. 

Therefore, to be efficient in enforcing the smoke-free policy, HOA should start by ensuring and making it clear the distinction between the individual right to choose to smoke or not to smoke as opposed to being imposed upon the "right to smoke," which is NOT part of any laws or books.  Therefore, HOA shouldn't act as if restricted by law to correct bad behaviors or feel pressured by smokers' "right to smoke" since such a law is nonexistent.

This petition is not against anyone with a smoking addiction, but the danger of smoking on those who CHOSE NOT to smoke.  I agree 100% that there is "NO RIGHT TO SMOKE" in the Constitution.  We all have a CHOICE, and others should NOT pay for those who choose to smoke.  Although I may not understand why people smoke, I know we all have addictions.  In my case, it’s chocolate and if I were to choose to eat Godiva dark chocolate, I wouldn’t force it on others unlike those addicted to cigarettes or tobacco.  When I sit here in my condo working or not, now that Covid held back business traveling, I binge myself with Godiva dark CHOCOLATE, so far nobody EVER DIE from secondhand smell of chocolate like for chemicals from cigarettes  as per CDC studies reported on Secondhand smoke. 

Therefore, my questions why communities behave as though smokers have right to smoke and non- smokers reporting issues on secondhand by asking them to spend in air purifiers or essential oil?  When and How HOA should take secondhand smoke as danger to health and ultimately the only life we have to tackle the source of the problem which starts with JUST one smoker who can terminate many lives at once to satisfy his/her CHOICE -NOT right- to smoke? 

If there laws, why The HOA are so scared of adopting smoke free proximity?  Or why HOA organizations do not follow up with smokers (just a minority or few smokers forcing smoke down the throats of many of us to inhale nicotine and ultimate end victims of lung cancer and other serious diseases that might be developing with the symptoms I am having as listed above)? I have been asking my association how they can ensure smokers don't smoke indoors particularly when it's cold night and they're heavy smokers?  HOA is unable to ensure enforcement indoors smoking rule are being followed up by smokers. 

How did we get here where one smoker makes his/her choice -NOT right but choice -to smoke and many of us have to pay the price with our health or healthy lifestyle like my entire 25 years of healthy living now out of the window almost instantly since the arrival of these newcomers?  And is it normal to risk to  pay the ultimate price -something we should thank the selfless veterans for  fighting to protect all of us by paying the ultimate price and back home struggling and sleeping under bridges in the cold  and I might accept to pay similar price as a payback for being blessed  for freedom -however what valid reason to risk your life for smokers and not stand up to fight for smokefree in multi-units communities.  This video is an illustration and supportive argument free smoking indoors AND outdoors free.

What value do you, reader of this petition, get from secondhand smoke? What value can second-hand smoke or any smoke can add to anyone''s existence, but serious illness, that HOA fears lacking arguments or is so scared of losing any fight into eliminating and establishing smoke-free in the community to protect the health of the residents despite the dangerously high costs in dollars AND, most importantly, in precious lives? For what gain?  Definitely not our freedom, certainly not mine and let alone freely the condo I dreamed and put all my savings to enjoy then all now turned to nightmare because of secondhand smoke HOA still scared while LIFE -invested to live in peaceful home- passing us by without action from organization we work hard to pay thinking they would work to protect all of us., residents not just the few smokers.  

Some food for thought and a call for action (s).

Thanks in advance for your constructive participation

#environment #humanity #lung.org #health #healthcare #yolo