Korean Government to Take New Measures to Reduce Smoking in South Korea
The war on tobacco in South Korea continues:
South Korea unveiled its “tobacco endgame” plan that calls for adopting uniform, plain packaging for all cigarettes and more graphic warning labels to push people to quit smoking, the government said Tuesday.
Yonhap
The comprehensive endeavor, reached by the public health policy review committee, aims to lower the smoking rate for men significantly from 38.1 percent in 2017, the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
The percentage of male smokers in the country has been falling steadily since 2008 with the government wanting the figure to fall to lower than 29 percent by 2022.
The ministry said indoor smoking areas will be banned, with all products containing nicotine to be classified as tobacco goods and subject to tougher restrictions.
The ministry added that for the time being, an increase of the price of tobacco products is not being considered. The government increased taxes on cigarettes by 2,000 won (US$1.70) per pack on Jan. 1, 2015, raising the price to 4,500 won per pack.
You can read more at the link, but there is no doubt that smoking is bad for you, but how come these measures aren’t taken against other industries that are bad for people’s health like drinking too much soda?
One step at a time, GI… one step at a time…
If the water heats up to fast, the frog jumps out before he’s fully cooked…
Mind you, I’m okay with people over 21 smoking, as long as they’re fR my my formerly nicotine-stained fingers and now cancer-free body. I am a big fan of kids not being exposed to it at all as it has a greater effect on their growing bodies than on the rest of us old curmudgeons.
“how come these measures aren’t taken against other industries that are bad for people’s health like drinking too much soda”
Because soda drinkers don’t blow their soda on non-soda drinkers, let drops of soda fall all around them, throw their cans on the ground and then track them out of the smoking area on the bottom of their shoes, stink the place up, and stand in everybody’s way when drinking soda.
Smokers are like bicyclists… rude and entitled… except they are also filthy and stinky.
I am not a guy who loves laws and regulations… but smokers have brought it on themselves… adversely affecting those around them to the point I champion any law that will keep their stink and filth far away.
Now, if we could just remove bicyclists toodling along Main Street at rush hour, the world would be a better place.
Governments have learned a lot from the anti-tobacco movement about controlling citizens via peer pressure and popular (after instruction) regulation. Meat is coming along next, since it makes people physically strong, less easy to keep in line.
It does sound conspiratorial, but someone suggested it to me 30 years ago, and I have seen it progress in a steady, straight line in that direction.
I never have used tobacco and don’t like it around me, but I recognize something’s going on.
Good. Governments should conspire faster.
Unlike alcohol and weed, which makes you feel good, people use tobacco to not feel bad.
Make it expensive and rare… and do everything possible, from legal restriction to social engineering, to keep anyone from starting the addiction.
Once the current generation of addicts, dependent on tobacco to make them not feel bad, dies off, cigarettes will go into the dustbin of history like snuff and laudanum.
Good riddance.
Unlike a few.currently-banned substances that may have health, social, and mental health benefits that outweigh other social costs, cigarettes offer nothing… no joy in use, filth, stench, poor health, irritating entitled users. Etc.
Bonus Thought: Vaping is a great replacement for cigarettes… clean,.smells good, can easily make your own vape juice to control additives and nicotine level… but the vapers, like smokers, are going to fućk it up. They don’t blow up or down as a habit but generally just vape like they breathe… big clouds of sickly sweet vape straight out and right in everyone’s face… a grotesque reminder that the contents of your lungs are now going into mine. You have been warned, vapers.
You’re right, CH… Most people don’t want anything to do with other people’s body wastes, even if chemically-treated…
@Chickenhead, I think the vapors are actually worse than the smokers. Those that walk and smoke leave behind a trail of smoke like a steam engine. Every time I see this it amazes me how inconsiderate people are.
As long as smokers are not blowing their smoke on others and I am not paying for their poor health choices I don’t have a problem with it.
As far as soda drinkers I have done plenty of Adopt Highway trash pickups before and the amount of soda cans and fast food drink cups people throw out their windows always amazes me.
Lots of vaping out here in CO.
Makes me want to light a smoke. 😆
As long as smokers are not blowing their smoke on others and I am not paying for their poor health choices I don’t have a problem with it.
There have been studies that indicate smokers actually cost the taxpayers less (since they die on average 10 years earlier than non-smokers). I have had a few patients with lung cancer from smoking though…it’s a very bad way to go. It’s really bad for circulation. Once had a patient who was a smoker who had a finger reattached. The physician told him if he smoked one cigarette before it was healed, he would lose that finger. He smoked and sure enough he lost the finger.