The government of South Korea is changing the health warnings required on packages of combustible cigarettes and heat-not-burn (HNB) products, according to a story by Lee Kyung-min for the Korea Times.
The change will be most pronounced in the case of HNB products, whose packs previously carried an image of what the story described as a needle but that looked more like a syringe. The image was said by many to be unclear and ineffective.
From December, manufacturers of HNB products will be required in include on their packs graphic warnings about health risks associated with smoking, including cancer, similar to the warnings carried by packs of combustible cigarettes.
The Times said the government planned to dispel the idea that HNB products were less harmful [than were combustible cigarettes] and therefore should remain exempt from stringent health policy.
‘HNB-produced smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, of which more than 70 are carcinogenic substances, known to cause, initiate or exacerbate cancer,’ the Times reported.
‘According to the World Health Organization (WHO), all forms of tobacco use are harmful, including HNBs.’
Yesterday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare unveiled a set of new graphic warnings with more ‘disturbing’ messages than those currently used.
The new warnings must replace the current ones by December 23.
The introduction of the new measures followed what was described as ‘a one-year in-depth deliberation commissioned by a 13-member special committee comprised of government officials and private experts’. A survey of 1,500 smokers and non-smokers was said to have been conducted to reflect public opinion.
According to data from the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, HNB products accounted for eight percent of the South Korean cigarette market in January, up from three percent seven months earlier.
Opting for quit-or-die
