Seoul City Launches "Smoke-Free Seoul" Campaign on June

According to the South Korean news website "NEWS 1," on May 28, the Seoul city government announced that in preparation for World No Tobacco Day on May 31, they will launch the "Smoke-Free Seoul" campaign at Ttukseom Han River Park on June 1 and 2.

An event focusing on increasing awareness of the dangers of e-cigarettes and encouraging participation in smoke-free actions will take place at the first "Ttukseom I Can Swim Han River Han River Festival" from June 1st to 2nd. Large posters warning of the dangers of e-cigarettes will be displayed at the smoke-free propaganda booth, along with OX quizzes and surveys, aimed at helping young people gain correct knowledge of e-cigarettes.

During this event, counseling services will be provided for smokers, who can create a quit smoking plan with professional counselors and access information about smoking cessation programs and support services. Citizens participating in the "Ttukseom I Can Swim Han River Festival" can receive on-site health screenings such as lung capacity and blood pressure, and receive smoking cessation counseling from counselors. After completing the counseling, if they require community support for quitting smoking, further referral services to smoking cessation clinics and local health centers will be provided.

During this campaign, the city government will offer the first 1000 children and adults the opportunity to experience "smoke-free pathways" and provide "smoking risk assessment patches" to determine if they are at risk of smoking. If a child is identified as having a smoking risk profile, they will be more susceptible to the effects of secondhand smoke, therefore it is important for their homes to be as smoke-free as possible.

The Seoul City Government will also be hosting various hands-on activities such as smoke-free painting and postcard making to encourage citizen participation.

A Seoul city government official stated, "This year, the World Health Organization has designated the theme for World No Tobacco Day as protecting children and young people from the harms of the tobacco industry. So, we hope that through this event, we can raise awareness of the impact of e-cigarettes, especially in understanding the risks of youth trying smoking." He also said, "We will actively promote policies to prevent youth smoking and support smokers in quitting.