Keeping Your Foster Child’s Life Smoke-Free

Smoke-Free Environment Policy

Smoke-free environment means no smoking in the foster home or the foster family's vehicle. The policy does not apply to the use of tobacco for cultural or traditional purposes.

The ministry recognizes that many foster parents are already mindful of the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and prohibit smoking in their homes. The smoke free environment policy ensures that all foster children and youth benefit from a smoke free environment.

In recognition that it may take time for some homes where smoking still occurs to comply with this policy, foster parents who currently have a Family Care Home Agreement with the Ministry, or with a Delegated Aboriginal Agency or Community Living British Columbia, have until November 1, 2008, to create a smoke free environment. New foster parents signing their initial Family Care Home Agreement on or after May 1, 2008, will be expected to provide a smoke-free environment as of the date of their agreement.

The policy does not require that foster parents stop smoking altogether; however the ministry is offering support to foster parents and other smokers in the home who do want to quit. The ministry will provide free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), or reimbursement for smoking cessation prescription medication until October 31, 2008.

Click here for the Step by Step process for accessing smoking cessation products.

More information about the smoke-free environment policy is found in the following material:

• Letter to Foster Parents
• Questions and Answers for Foster Parents
• Step by Step process for accessing smoking cessations products
• Youth Newsletter
• Standards for Foster Homes

When you avoid tobacco products and keep your home smoke-free, you are choosing a lifetime of health and well-being for your foster child. View presentation to see how tobacco harms children and youth.

Resources for Tobacco Cessation

• QuitNow - http://bc.quitnet.com/

Information and General Resources

• Tobacco Facts - http://www.tobaccofacts.org/
• BC Lung Association - http://www.bc.lung.ca/services/services_tobacco.htm
• Your Health Magazine -
  http://www.bc.lung.ca/news/index.htm
• Tobacco and Smoking -
  http://www.lung.ca/protect-protegez/
  tobacco-tabagisme_e.php

Youth Resources

• Quit4Life
• You and Me SmokeFree
• Kick the Nic : Developed with BC teens and available in BC high schools. For more information about Kick the Nic in your community, contact the Regional Tobacco Reduction Coordinator nearest you.