As used in this section and Sections 16-17-500, 16-17-502, 16-17-503, 16-17-504, and 16-17-506:

(1) "Distribute" means to sell, furnish, give, provide, or attempt to do so, whether gratuitously or for any type of compensation, tobacco products, including tobacco product samples, cigarette paper, or a substitute for them, to the ultimate consumer.

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Terms Used In South Carolina Code 16-17-501

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.

(2) "Distribution" means the act of selling, furnishing, giving, providing, or attempting to do so, whether gratuitously or for any type of compensation, tobacco products, including tobacco product samples, cigarette paper, or a substitute for them, to the ultimate consumer.

(3) "Electronic smoking device" means any device that may be used to deliver any aerosolized or vaporized substance, including e-liquid, to the person inhaling from the device including, but not limited to, an e-cigarette, e-cigar, e-pipe, vape pen, or e-hookah. "Electronic smoking device" includes any component, part, or accessory of the device, and also includes any substance intended to be aerosolized or vaporized during the use of the device whether or not the substance includes nicotine. "Electronic smoking device" does not include drugs, devices, or combination products authorized for sale by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as those terms are defined in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

(4) "E-liquid" means a substance that:

(a) may or may not contain nicotine;

(b) is intended to be vaporized and inhaled using an electronic smoking device; and

(c) is a legal substance under the laws of this State and the laws of the United States.

"E-liquid" does not include cannabis or CBD as defined under the laws of this State and the laws of the United States unless it also contains nicotine.

(5) "Proof of age" means a driver’s license or identification card issued by this State or any other state or a United States Armed Services identification card.

(6) "Sample" means a tobacco product distributed to members of the general public at no cost for the purpose of promoting the products.

(7) "Sampling" means the distribution of samples to members of the general public in a public place.

(8) "Tobacco product" means:

(a) any product containing, made of, or derived from tobacco or nicotine that is intended for human consumption or is likely to be consumed, whether inhaled, absorbed, or ingested by any other means including, but not limited to, a cigarette, a cigar, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, or snus;

(b) any electronic smoking device as defined in this section and any substances that may be aerosolized or vaporized by such device, whether or not the substance contains nicotine; or

(c) any component, part, or accessory of subitem (a) or subitem (b), whether or not any of these contains tobacco or nicotine including, but not limited to, filters, rolling papers, blunt or hemp wraps, and pipes. Tobacco product does not include drugs, devices, or combination products authorized for sale by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as those terms are defined in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

(9) "Tobacco retail establishment" means any place of business where tobacco products are available for sale to the general public. The term includes, but is not limited to, grocery stores, tobacco product shops, kiosks, convenience stores, gasoline service stations, bars, and restaurants.

(10) "Tobacco retailer" means any person, partnership, joint venture, society, club, trustee, trust association, organization, or corporation who owns, operates, or manages any tobacco retail establishment. Tobacco retailer does not mean the nonmanagement employees of any tobacco retail establishment.