It’s a policy others in South Carolina and around the country have taken for granted: the right to breathe smoke-free air. And despite many thinking it’s an action of the past, not all Americans are protected, including Greer residents.
The latest American Cancer Society cancer prevention report noted cancer rates across the nation being suboptimal, in part due to the dangerously low tobacco quit rates among us Southerners. In fact, millions of Americans who chose to quit smoking caused a record national low for cigarette smoking in 2019 — but the same can’t be said for South Carolinians.
Our state continues to see abnormally high smoking rates and tobacco-related illness and death plaguing our communities as a result of years of inaction from city and state officials.
The stakes are even more dire for those of us in Greer. While many Americans receive protections under city law, Greer has no official law against secondhand smoke in the books despite the vast majority of Greenville and Spartanburg voters in agreement that the right to be protected from secondhand smoke is more important than the right to smoke anywhere.
Nearly 20 years ago, clean indoor air acts sprang up across the country in response to new science unveiling the deadly dangers of inhaling secondhand smoke. Fast track to today, and tobacco, including secondhand smoke, continues to plague our community.
Indoor smoking isn’t an issue of the past for Greer residents. Tobacco takes a wide toll in our state, especially locally. The good news is there are proven actions we can take to do something about it.
As the city focuses on attracting new businesses and restaurants, let us also pay attention to the protective policies needed for residents, visitors and our families to be able to enjoy such establishments. Policies that keep people safe from secondhand smoke have been shown to benefit businesses by saving long-term costs with numerous studies showing that smoke-free bar laws don’t hurt and even benefit bar sales.
There’s never been a more critical time for our elected officials to prioritize the health of Greer residents and protect our right to live a long, healthy life free from the deadly effects of tobacco.
For decades, science has clearly shown that secondhand smoke causes cancer, even for those who have never smoked a cigarette. A current lack of policy perpetuates dangerous and life-threatening conditions from clientele our small businesses serve to our very children.
With more than 30% of all cancer deaths in our state related to smoking and alarmingly high rates of tobacco-related illness and death across our state, we need our lawmakers to reverse these dangerous trends.
Everyone has the right to breathe clean, smoke-free air, including Greer residents.
Our rights and health should be protected. It’s time our city council begins to address it.
Jack Lucas is a volunteer with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network South Carolina and has been a resident of the Upstate since 1994. He considers himself a proud advocate of change for his beloved Greer community and is former chairman of the board for the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce as well as currently the first vice president of the Greer Centennial Lions Club.
