Everyone has a right to breathe smoke-free air. Nationwide, more and more workplaces are going smoke free. However, South Carolina has few real smoke-free workplace laws. There have been significant gains in reducing exposure to secondhand smoke in the general population, but those in blue collar and service jobs – such as craft workers, laborers and hospitality workers – are still disproportionately exposed at the workplace. Link to see how South Carolina smoke free workplace protection compares to other states in the U.S.
In recent years, more local governments have taken steps to protect their citizens from secondhand smoke exposure. Our coalition partners work to support those efforts, as well as building campaigns to promote cessation and prevention. SCTC continues to build and strengthen our grassroots network statewide, as well as providing education and information.
Our educational campaign for smoke-free workplaces has impacted cities from the mountains to the coast as municipalities are choosing to protect their workers from the many health hazards of secondhand smoke. Link here to see a map and list of the municipalities and counties that have passed smoke-free ordinances since the release of the 2006 Surgeon General's Report. Note that the list also includes the dates that each municipality went smoke-free.