US: public housing
| Item | HUD smoke-free rule |
|---|---|
| Applies to | Public housing (not all private rentals) |
| Where | Living units, indoor common areas, administrative offices, and outdoor areas within 25 feet of those buildings |
| What | Lit tobacco products: cigarettes, cigars, pipes |
| Timing | Effective February 2017, full compliance by mid-2018 |
Private landlords, condo associations and cities can have their own rules. Check your lease, building rules and local ordinances. This guide is not legal advice.
Korea: no-smoking apartments
In Korea, an apartment complex can become a designated no-smoking apartment when at least half of households consent. Hallways, stairwells, elevators and underground parking can then be designated, and smoking there carries a 50,000-won fine after a guidance period. The designation covers shared spaces only.
Inside your own unit
In many places, smoking inside your own unit or on your balcony is not banned outright unless your lease or building rules say so. Korea’s apartment management law, for example, asks residents to make efforts not to harm neighbors by smoking on balconies or in bathrooms, and lets management recommend stopping, but has no fine for it. Disputes are usually settled by conversation or building management, not penalties.
Using a new rule to quit
- A longer walk to smoke is an opening — when your building goes smoke-free, each cigarette costs more effort. That friction is a good moment to stop.
- Smoked indoors? — if a neighbor complaint is the trigger, decide whether you are moving where you smoke or stopping.
- Re-route old spots — attach a new action (water, a call) to walking past where you used to smoke.
App tips
Match your start to the rule date
Use the day your building’s policy starts as your quit date and cut one cigarette a day in Quit Smoking Tracker from then. More on choosing a date in how to pick a quit date.
Count “old spot” urges
Log urges that hit at your old smoking spot with “Craving +1” and note the place. After a few weeks you will see them fade.
The app’s screenshots show sample amounts in Korean won (4,500 per pack is the app default), and the Settings sheet title is shown in Korean in the current English version. Enter your own local pack price; the calculation works the same in any currency.
FAQ
Does the HUD rule cover vapes?
The rule addresses lit tobacco products. Your housing authority may set its own policy on e-cigarettes, so check locally.
Can my landlord ban smoking in my unit?
In many places a lease can include a no-smoking clause. Check your lease and local law.
Sources: CDC, HUD smoke-free public housing rule
Quit Smoking Tracker
No sign-up, works offline, and your records stay on your phone. Free on Android, in English and Korean.