Myrtle Beach City Council  listened to several presentations from the public during a meeting Tuesday.

Smoke Free Horry and members of the American Cancer Society answered council members questions on what it would take for Horry County to go smoke free and the potential impacts a smoking ban would have on business owners.

Smoke Free Horry believes everyone deserves to breathe smoke-free air. It wants to educate the public about the dangers of secondhand smoke, provide free resources to quit smoking through a hotline and inspire the county's youth to stay tobacco free. 6,300 kids under the age of 18 become new daily smokers each year.

The organization told council members that more than 1,500 people called and asked for kits to quit smoking in Horry County alone. The response to 'Quit For Keeps' was so overwhelming, it actually ran out of resources like nicotine gum or patches, and will offer the supplies again in August. It also said 99 percent of the people who answered a recent survey were in favor of a smoke-free county.

Advocates for a smoke-free county said the fight for a ban must start on a local level, rather than a state level.

Ultimately, council members asked for more specific information pertaining to the 41 cities in the state, including Charleston, that have implemented smoke-free ordinances. Members hope to find out the most convenient ways to transition.

Do you think Horry County should go smoke-free? Why or why not?