"Chain Smoking" Addiction in South Korea

According to a report by South Korean financial news on September 14th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Development Agency plan to start broadcasting an advertisement titled "One puff of an e-cigarette can lead to endless chain smoking" from the 15th. As the second anti-smoking advertisement this year, the aim of the ad is to raise public awareness of the seriousness of e-cigarette addiction and enhance vigilance.

Phenomenon of "Chain Smoking"

The advertisements will showcase the phenomenon of "chain smoking" of both e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes by smokers in various settings, including workplaces and homes. In addition, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will be launching public engagement campaigns to oppose the use of e-cigarettes, raise awareness about their addictive nature, and encourage smoking cessation in conjunction with the airing of these advertisements.

The anti-smoking advertisement is an educational and entertaining national participation program. The activities of the "e-cigarette opposition group" are diverse and include themed messages promoting smoking cessation, inspired by scenes from television commercials. Both non-smokers and smokers can participate in these activities.

The general public can log into the official website of anti-smoking advertisements and choose from a range of advertising scenarios that aim to raise smokers' awareness of the addictive nature of e-cigarettes. The purpose is to deliver messages of support to smokers, encouraging them to quit smoking.

Promoting Anti-smoking Culture

The Director of the Health Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in South Korea, Shin Hwag-sik, stated:

This advertisement aims to raise awareness among smokers by exposing their addictive behavior that they cannot escape from regardless of their location, thus prompting them to realize the tobacco addiction associated with e-cigarettes and be cautious of its dangers. We will continue to launch anti-smoking campaigns targeting different demographics to promote a healthier South Korea.

Yoon Geon-ho, the Deputy Director of the Korean Health Promotion Development Agency, added:

This advertisement aims to visually expose the current state of e-cigarette usage and the societal issues caused by secondhand smoke, with the intention of capturing public attention and especially encouraging smokers to quit voluntarily. In the coming months, we will implement more anti-smoking campaigns that resonate with the public, in order to fully promote and propagate a anti-smoking culture in South Korea.