The Coastal Health District of Georgia serves the counties of Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long & McIntosh
Air Quality Monitoring Resources and Health Information
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The Coastal Health District of Georgia serves the counties of Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long & McIntosh
Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States and in Georgia. The Coastal Health District is committed to preventing initiation of tobacco use and helping our smokers to quit. We are also dedicated to ensuring smoke-free air in schools, public parks and indoor places of employment, particularly for infants, children, pregnant women and citizens with asthma and/or other chronic respiratory diseases (those who are at highest risk for illnesses resultant from exposure to second-hand smoke). At the Coastal Health District we understand that tobacco is addictive and that quitting is difficult. Our goals are to help those who want to quit, quit for good; discourage tobacco usage among those who don’t currently use tobacco; and to help all of our citizens lead healthy, tobacco-free lives.
In May 2005, Governor Sonny Perdue signed the Georgia Smokefree Air Act into law. The law prohibits smoking inside most public areas and outlines specific guidelines for allowing smoking in and around establishments that serve the public. However, the Act does allow for more restrictive local laws, rules, and regulations that are currently in place or may be passed in the future. The law helps reduce exposure to secondhand smoke and its associated risks.
Effective July 1, 2023, the use of an electronic smoking (vaping devices) device is included in the definition of “smoking” (O.C.G.A. § 31-12a-2(16)) and prohibited in the same places smoking is prohibited.
Complaints can be submitted in three ways:
Once a complaint is received, an Acknowledgement of Complaint Letter will be sent to the complainant and the establishment will be contacted by letter or visit.
Anonymous complaints will not be accepted or investigated. The identity of the complainant shall remain confidential.
What happens when a complaint is lodged? Get more information on the follow-up process here:
Tobacco-Free School Information
