Although South Korea heavily promotes the dangers of smoking, electronic cigarettes and flavored tobacco products are becoming increasingly popular. In recent years, cigarette sales have been on the rise in South Korea.
As more and more teenagers and women are drawn to the sleek and stylish packaging of e-cigarettes, their sales have surpassed those of traditional cigarettes. E-cigarettes are charged via USB, adding a touch of technology, and some products can even be connected to a tracking mode on a phone.
Photo credit: THE CHOSUNILBO
According to statistics from the South Korean Ministry of Economy and Finance on November 27th, cigarette sales in the first half of this year reached 1.78 billion packs, an increase of 2% compared to the same period in 2021 and a growth of 6.4% compared to the first half of 2019. This marks the third consecutive year of positive growth.
The sales of cigarettes increased from 3.44 billion packs in 2019 to 3.59 billion packs in 2020 and 2021, and may further increase in 2022.
The sales of electronic cigarettes have soared by 33% in the past three years from 2019 to 2021, accounting for 14% of the total tobacco sales. Tobacco companies insist that electronic cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes, but some medical professionals believe the evidence in support of this claim is not yet sufficient.
In 2019, 68 people in the United States died and approximately 2,800 fell ill due to vaping-related lung damage. In South Korea, around 40,000 online shopping websites and offline stores sell electronic cigarettes. According to South Korean law, cigarettes are classified as products made from tobacco leaves, therefore e-cigarettes do not require health warning images on packaging.
According to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, electronic cigarettes contain carcinogenic substances that are harmful to health. The WHO has been urging tobacco companies to display warning information on electronic cigarette packaging, but South Korea has been slow to take action on this measure.
Nicotine is highly addictive. Doctors say that even small amounts of nicotine exposure can greatly increase the risk of developing cancer and other diseases.
2FIRSTS will continue to follow and report on this issue. Further updates will be available on the "2FIRSTSAPP". Scan the QR code below to download the app.
Disclaimer
This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.
Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.
The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.
This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.
Copyright Notice
This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.
No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.
For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.
AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice
Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.
Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.
