DHEC shares dangers of secondhand smoke during National Minority Cancer Awareness Week

Image: Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC)

Image: Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC)

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)– This week is National Minority Cancer Awareness week and DHEC officials want to inform residents of tobacco related health disparities especially among African Americans in rural areas.

Officials say rural communities experience high rates of lung cancer exposure to secondhand smoke and its even higher for African Americans living in rural areas.

One in five people are exposed to secondhand smoke at work in South Carolina.

And counties with the highest rates of job related secondhand smoke are also rural counties.

Secondhand smoke increased the risk of lung cancer in nonsmokers by 30%.

DHEC encourages residents to learn about the risk factors of smoking at quitnowsc.org or call the SC tobacco line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW.