Myrtle Beach area group calls for smoke-free city

A local group is fighting for the right to breathe smoke-free air in Horry County, and on Tuesday they cited statistics that seem to be on their side.

Ninety-five percent of 874 residents surveyed in Horry County said they believe secondhand smoke causes health problems, according to a survey conducted by Smoke Free Horry, a nonprofit organization that hopes to curb the toll of tobacco use.

Research done in area bars and restaurants found pollution 22 times higher in those that allow smoking than in those that don't, the study conducted jointly by Roswell Park Cancer Center in New York and Smoke Free Horry found.

"It's our vision that every citizen and worker in Horry has the right to breathe smoke-free air," said George DuRant, spokesman for Smoke Free Horry. "Everyone deserves to breathe smoke-free air."

The group, which is funded by a federal grant, began in late summer 2010 with three goals: protect citizens from secondhand smoke dangers; reduce tobacco use among adults and youth; and prevent children from starting to use tobacco products.

There's still a long road ahead, however, filled with challenges, organizers said.

Though many areas still allow smoking, some have banned the habit both indoors and outside, whether through corporate regulations or personal choice. DuRant wants visitors in Horry to see aprogressive county that prohibits lighting up a cigarette.

"The last thing we want people to think when they come to Myrtle Beach is behind, backward and not progressive," he said.

The town of Surfside Beach and the town of Atlantic Beach are the only municipalities in the county that have passed a smoking ban. A countywide ban is not on the radar for Horry County Council, said Chairman Tom Rice. If it were introduced, Rice said he would not support it.

"I think a ban should be up to each individual business," he said. "If people don't want to go where others are smoking, they don't have to go there."

More than 2,000 online petitions have been signed, urging lawmakers to create nonsmoking policies in the county. The group has also received attention via Facebook, gaining more than 1,200 "fans" in favor of clean air.

"We daily get input from emails from citizens and wall posts on Facebook," DuRant said. "Citizen and community input has been tremendous."

Of those surveyed by the group, 99 percent said they "strongly or somewhat supported" the right for everyone to breathe smoke-free air. Still, DuRant said, word needs to spread about smoking's impact on health.

"The public is not as well informed about smoking hazards as we would like," he said. With the help of public education programs, surveys, surgeon general warning and statistics, DuRant said the group hopes to show the real dangers of secondhand smoke.

To help support their cause, the group performed an air quality study in January of four smoke-free restaurants or bars and eight locations that permitted indoor smoking. The study measured the level of fine particle air pollution, which contains small particles that can infiltrate lungs.

The eight locations that allow smoking had pollution 22 times higher than those restaurants without tobacco use, the joint research showed.. This level of particle air pollution is 10 times higher than outdoor air in S.C., according to the study.

"Employees working full-time in areas with indoor smoking are exposed to levels of air pollution 2.2 times higher than safe annual levels established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, due to their occupational exposure to tobacco smoke," according to the study.

In the end, Rice said economics will eventually determine whether smoking should be more broadly banned.

"Some business will lose money if there's a ban, such as bars. But others will gain revenue, so it should be up to each business owner whether or not to ban smoking."

Encouraging people to write to local lawmakers and authorities is also a challenge, but Beth Graham, spokeswoman for the group and members, encourages community members to become active participants.

"What we really have to focus on, given all that we know ... it's time to join together and do what's right for Horry County," Graham said.

To help S.C. residents fight tobacco addictions, the S.C. Tobacco Quitline was established and is open to those 13 years old and older. The service features phone and Internet counseling, where each caller is assigned to a personal Quit Coach who will work with the participant throughout the quitting process.

In honor of "World No Tobacco Day" on May 31, Smoke Free Horry celebrated by releasing success figures for the Quitline, which has seen an increase in registrants. Use of the Quitline exceeded that of previous months, since 326 residents registered with the line in March and 276 registered during April. February only pulled 212 residents.

The majority of callers were between 41 and 50 years old, and all registered callers claimed to be tobacco users; some even requested an intervention, according to the press release.

Users of the Quitline could rate how they heard about the program, and in March the majority of registrants cited a TV commercial that portrays a sickly man affected by secondhand smoke. In April, most users said they learned about the Quitline through a health professional.

No matter the challenges, DuRant hopes to protect Horry County citizens from tobacco dangers and create smoke-free environments, enjoyed by visitors, locals and employees.

"Why should we have to tell people to chose between making a living and their health?" DuRant said.