All South Dakota workplaces, including restaurants, bars, video lottery establishments and casinos, were scheduled to be 100% smokefree as of July 1, 2009. However, the implementation of the law was been suspended when opponents succeeded in gathering enough signatures to place the law on the ballot in November 2010. The law will not go into effect unless approved by the voters. To stay posted, visit Smokefree South Dakota.

South Dakota's strong new smokefree law was signed by Governor Rounds on March 19, 2009. Nearly every worker in South Dakota would be protected from secondhand smoke exposure by this law. The law includes limited exemptions for tobacco retail stores, 25% of hotel rooms, and cigar bars that made over 10% of sales from cigars and were in existence as of January 1, 2009.

The current 2002 statewide law covers only non-hospitality workplaces and public places, and will remain in effect until the new law takes effect July 1, 2009. Read South Dakota's existing 100% smokefree workplace law.

South Dakota law still preempts local community's right to local control, stating, "The Legislature is the exclusive regulator of all matters relating to the use of tobacco products." Read more about current tobacco-related legislation in South Dakota.

Current tobacco-related statistics are available from the Centers for Disease Control's Tobacco Control State Highlights, 2007.

South Dakota's 2010 Legislative Session: January 12 - March 29