Point of Sale
A Brief History
We began a partnership in 2016 with Counter Tools, South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services, (DAODAS) and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) to address tobacco issues at the Point of Sale (POS). POS refers to any location where tobacco and/or alcohol products are advertised, displayed, or purchased. Historically, POS is where the tobacco industry spends most of their marketing dollars. Marketing and tobacco sales have a significant impact on youth tobacco use, disparities in tobacco use rates and quit attempts.
By the spring of 2022, all 46 counties across South Carolina had conducted in-store assessments on tobacco products for sale, price points, and marketing. All of the cohorts completed a mapping process showing how many tobacco retailers exist in different neighborhoods and how close they are to schools and parks. Documenting the problem at a local level allows local coalitions and community groups to formulate policy solutions, raise community awareness, and engage decision makers in implementing and enforcing local statutes on tobacco use and sales.
County Tobacco Retailer Characteristics
Individual County Tobacco Retailer Characteristics can be found here.
SC DHEC County Profiles
SC DHEC's Division of Tobacco Prevention and Control recently published updated Smoke-Free and Tobacco-Free County profiles for each county in South Carolina. These profiles can be found here. Learn more about the SC DHEC Division of Tobacco Prevention and Control here.
Statewide Information