New Bedford Housing Authority to Ban Smoking

The New Bedford Housing Authority is getting with the times and banning smoking in all public housing complexes in the city.

The ban is the result of a 1-million dollar grant to the "Voices for a Healthy SouthCoast" program, run by YMCA  Southcoast and Southcoast Health System.

Presidential Heights resident Melissa Gonsalves has three children and has been smoking for ten years. She supports the ban.

The grant money will be used to provide support to residents who wish to kick the habit.

 Bay Village housing complex resident and smoker Martin Andrade thinks the ban has a hint of hipocracy.

The ban will go into effect over the next year. "Voices for a Healthy SouthCoast" is reaching out to other Greater New Bedford housing authorities, trying to get them to ban smoking in public housing as well.