South Korean Health Authorities To Conduct Research To Determine If Flavored Cigarettes Contain Harmful Substances

Health authorities in South Korea on Oct. 26 announced that they plan to find out whether flavored cigarettes contain harmful substances.

Korea Herald reported on the same day that the Health Ministry plans to conduct a research on the effects of cigarettes that contain flavored capsules. Reports have revealed that flavored cigarettes are well-liked by South Koreans.

Data shows that around 1.05 billion cigarettes were sold in South Korea in the first quarter of 2015.

"We still don't know a lot about these cigarettes and whether or not they contain harmful substances that are harmful to the human body," a Health Ministry official said. "We are doing this research because such flavors can especially attract teenagers."

Results of the research are expected to be released next year.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) revealed it will formulate guidelines for flavored cigarettes next year after determining its possible health threats, as forecasted by Korea Times Oct. 26.

"There's a need to scientifically study them because they attract adolescents to smoking," An official from CDC said.

"Also, the study will push tobacco companies to act more responsibly," the official added.

The official also said the flavored cigarettes are not covered by any other guidelines, hence, the study will serve as the basis to create guidelines for flavored cigarettes.

In addition, a report by the Korea Health Promotion Foundation (KHPF) revealed that flavored cigarettes can be more dangerous than regular cigarettes.

"Flavored cigarettes stimulate young people's curiosity and addiction," the KHPF revealed. "It is understood to be a strategy of tobacco companies to induce non-smokers to begin to smoke."

Despite the approval of 80 percent increase in the price of cigarettes in the country, South Korea still has 10 million smokers. Last year, the country has recorded one of the highest numbers of smokers among OECD countries at 43.7 percent.

In addition, around 57,000 South Koreans die each year due to smoking-related illness such as lung cancer and asthma.