J Korean Med Assoc.  2018 Mar;61(3):148-156. 10.5124/jkma.2018.61.3.148.

Current status of tobacco control policies in Korea compared with international treaty and its implementation

• Lim MK
• Cho HJ

• KMID: 2406968
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2018.61.3.148

Abstract

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) entered into effect in 2005 and has been ratified by 181 parties. The major tobacco control policies included in the FCTC are increased tobacco taxes; smoke-free public places; bans on tobacco advertisements, promotion, and sponsorship; regulations of tobacco packaging and labeling; regulations and disclosure of tobacco component and emissions; public awareness campaigns about the adverse health effects of tobacco use; treatment of tobacco use and dependence; and bans on tobacco sales to minors. Since the FCTC was ratified, tobacco control policies have been strengthened worldwide, but with different effects for different policies. A high level of performance was achieved in 55% of the signatory countries for warnings about the hazards of tobacco and in 30% for monitoring tobacco control policies, but tobacco tax increases, smoke-free polices, and bans on tobacco advertisement, promotion, and sponsorship achieved high levels of success in only about 10% of the countries. Korea recently strengthened some tobacco control policies, including tobacco tax increases, mass media campaigns, pictorial warnings on tobacco packs, smoke-free bars and restaurants, and reimbursement for smoking cessation services provided by health care facilities. However, the price of cigarettes remains very low considering the nation's income level, and tobacco advertisements, promotion, and sponsorship are only partially restricted. Workplace smoke-free policies are limited to large companies. Only monitoring of tobacco control policies and smoking cessation services are at a high level in Korea. Comprehensive tobacco control polices need to be strengthened, and physicians should play a leading role.

Keyword

Tobacco; Policy; Korea

MeSH Terms

Commerce
Delivery of Health Care
Disclosure
International Cooperation*
Korea*
Mass Media
Product Packaging
Restaurants
Smoke-Free Policy
Smoking Cessation
Social Control, Formal
Taxes
Tobacco Products
Tobacco Use
Tobacco*

Reference

1. Wipfli H. The global war on tobacco: mapping the world's first public health treaty. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press;2015.

2. World Health Organization. WHO framework convention on tobacco control. Geneva: World Health Organization;2003.

3. World Health Organization. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic 2008: the MOPWER package. Geneva: World Health Organization;2008.

4. World Health Organization. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic 2015: raising taxes on tobacco. Geneva: World Health Organization;2015.

5. World Health Organization. 2016 Global progress report on implementation of the WHO framework convention on tobacco control. Geneva: World Health Organization;2016.

6. World Health Organization. Media centre: tobacco [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization;2017. cited 2018 Feb 8. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs339/en/.

7. Jung KJ, Yun YD, Baek SJ, Jee SH, Kim IS. Smoking-attributable mortality among Korean adults, 2012. J Korean Soc Health Stat. 2013; 28:36–48.

8. World Health Organization. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco smoking 2015. Geneva: World Health Organization;2015.

9. Gravely S, Giovino GA, Craig L, Commar A, D'Espaignet ET, Schotte K, Fong GT. Implementation of key demand-reduction measures of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and change in smoking prevalence in 126 countries: an association study. Lancet Public Health. 2017; 2:e166–e174.

10. World Health Organization. The role of health professionals in tobacco control. Geneva: World Health Organization;2005.