Extinguishing the tobacco epidemic in South Carolina

SOUTH CAROLINA KEY FACTSIn 2015, 29.1% of South Carolina high school youth reported currently using any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes. Among South Carolina high school youth, 9.6% reported currently smoking cigarettes.PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TO TOBACCO USE IN SOUTH CAROLINAThere is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. It causes stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart disease in adults. South Carolina has a tradition of adopting comprehensive local smoke-free policies throughout the state. As more communities adopt smoke-free laws, the state, upon request, provides research, data and analysis, and scientific consultation to communities, multiunit housing operators, hospitals, businesses, and colleges and universities that want to protect residents from secondhand smoke. For example, 25 colleges and universities prohibit tobacco use in buildings and on campus grounds in South Carolina, including 3 recent policies being adopted at Benedict College, the Citadel, and Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College. Additionally, 78% of the public school districts have adopted comprehensive tobacco-free policies. These policies aren\u2019t limited to schools, as at least 215 faith-based organizations have adopted tobacco-free policies for their buildings and grounds, and more than 36,000 individuals in 726 faith organizations receive monthly bulletins with health promoting tobacco prevention and cessation messages, plus information on resources to help prevent or address chronic diseases.For more information on tobacco prevention and control, visit cdc.gov/tobacco