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Secondhand Smoke

Secondhand smoke (SHS) is a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, pipe, or cigar, and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers. The Surgeon General explains the following  health effects of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure for non-smokers:

  • Sudden infant death syndrome
  • Respiratory and ear infections
  • More frequent and severe asthma attacks among children
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Lung cancer

There is no safe level of SHS exposure.

Secondhand Aerosol

Secondhand aerosol (SHA) is exhaled by people who use Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), such as e-cigarettes and vapes. While SHA generally contains fewer toxins than SHS, the US Surgeon General states that SHA is not harmless. SHA contains: 

  • Nicotine
  • Heavy metals
  • Ultrafine particulates
  • Volatile organic compounds

58 million Americans have been exposed to secondhand smoke. Nearly half of those people are children between the ages of 3 and 19. South Carolina data shows that 4 in 10 adults are deprived of the right to breathe clean air free from secondhand smoke and vaping aerosol in public places.  

Tobacco-Free and Smoke-Free Environments 

The DPH Tobacco Prevention and Control Unit builds statewide partnerships to reduce exposure to SHS and SHA through local policies and ordinances.

Clean air - free from secondhand smoke and vaping aerosol - remains the standard to protect health.

Ordinances vary by municipality but generally prohibit the use of combustible commercial tobacco and other commercial tobacco products in public places, businesses (including restaurants), and some outdoor areas such as ballparks, stadiums, parades, or amphitheaters. Some ordinances include vaping.

County Map: If you're looking to shop, eat or do business in a smoke-free environment, see the County Map for information about towns, cities or counties that have adopted local commercial tobacco-free or smoke-free ordinances.

County Map

Started in 2015, the A Healthier State:  Make Every Workday Great initiative addresses SHS and SHA exposure in the workplace at state agencies. Technical assistance and education is provided to state agencies to help enact tobacco-free and smoke-free efforts.

Evidence-based strategies and resources are available to assist management and administrators interested in making their workplace smoke-free or tobacco-free.

People living with mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety, or substance use issues are more likely to use tobacco and to suffer from tobacco-related health disparities. DPH encourages residential mental health and substance use treatment facilities across the state to provide tobacco cessation education and resources. DPH provides technical assistance to help facility managers create a tobacco-free setting that meets the unique needs of their residents.

Everyone has the right to breathe clean air. Outdoor smoke-free laws are typically enacted by elected officials and local boards of health. DPH provides education and awareness about the benefits of outdoor clean air protections to communities and organizations interested in tobacco-free outdoor settings.

Since 2010, the Division of Tobacco Prevention and Control has supported the tobacco-free efforts of Hold Out the Lifeline, a nonprofit dedicated to faith-based health advocacy.  

SHS travels through ductwork, hallways, and windows—exposing residents in multi-unit housing to unwanted toxins. In SC, over 206,000 multi-unit housing residents experienced SHS infiltration in their homes in the past year. DPH provides education and resources to assist with smoke-free and tobacco-free policies in this setting. The National Housing Law Project developed a free guide to assist those interested in implementing a smoke-free public housing policy. 

Looking to go smoke-free or tobacco-free? Access examples of model tobacco-free and smoke-free policies for various settings.

Smoke-Free Palmetto State Certification

Local leaders committed to smoke-free protections from both secondhand smoke (SHS) and secondhand aerosol (SHA) from e-cigarettes deserve recognition for their dedication to the health and well-being of their community. Studies show that places with secondhand smoke and vaping aerosol protections have fewer emergency department visits for heart attacks and other smoking-related illnesses. Certification requirements include:

  • Adoption and implementation of a comprehensive ordinance providing protection from both secondhand smoke (SHS) and secondhand vaping aerosol (SHA)
  • Applies to all indoor workplaces, restaurants, and bars
  • NO "grandfathering" - allowing existing workplaces to be exempt from the ordinance
  • NO waivers - allowing workplaces to apply for a waiver complying with the ordinance

Smoke-Free Palmetto Brochures