J Korean Acad Fam Med.  2007 Apr;28(4):256-262.

Change of Smoking Attitude in High School Students of Korea after Increase in Cigarette Tax

• Kim HB
• Cho HJ

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Increasing cigarette tax is known to be effective in stopping smoking and preventing initiation of smoking in adolescents. This study was designed to investigate the change of smoking attitudes in high school students after increase in cigarette tax in 2004.
METHODS
A self-questionnaire study was performed in high school students in Seoul and Chungnam province in June, 2004. The number of respondents was 1,424 consisting of 883 males and 541 females. The factors related to smoking cessation or reduction of smoking amount after increase in cigarette tax were analysed.
RESULTS
Among the total 1,424 subjects, 199 (14.0%) students smoked before the increase in cigarette tax. The smoking rate of males and females were 19.5% and 5.0%, respectively. Thirty nine percent of smokers quit smoking or reduced the smoking amount after increase in tax, among them 28.6% of the smokers (27.9% and 33.0% for males and females, respectively) reported quitting smoking. Female smokers and smokers in preparation stage of Prochaska model reported quitting smoking or reducing the smoking amount than male smokers and smokers in pre-consideration stage (OR 6.85:95% CI=1.78~26.33, OR 6.62:95% CI= 2.20~19.95, respectively).
CONCLUSION
Increase of cigarette tax was effective in quitting the smoking and reducing the smoking amount in adolescents in Korea.

Keyword

adolescents; cigarette tax; smoking rate

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Chungcheongnam-do
Surveys and Questionnaires
Female
Humans
Korea*
Male
Seoul
Smoke*
Smoking Cessation
Smoking*
Taxes*
Tobacco Products*
Smoke