Issues of new types of tobacco (e-cigarette and heat-not-burn tobacco): from the perspective of ‘tobacco harm reduction’

E-cigarettes, heat-not-burn (HNB) tobacco, and other new types of tobacco products are emerging in Korea. These products are particularly popular among smokers who are looking for less harmful means of tobacco consumption, and are highly relevant for existing tobacco control policies. E-cigarettes, which are electronic devices designed to allow the user to inhale nicotine as a vapor, are controversial in terms of their safety and effects on smoking cessation, as a variety of harmful substances have been detected in e-cigarette vapor. Due to policy differences in tobacco harm reduction, the regulations on e-cigarettes differ from country to country, and domestic regulations regulate e-cigarettes in a manner similar to conventional cigarettes. In contrast, HNB tobacco was introduced in Korea in June 2017, and is rapidly expanding in the market, as active marketing campaigns seek to communicate to consumers that HNB tobacco use involves no tar and is less harmful to health. However, the World Health Organization and several professional groups have argued that based on independent studies not supported by tobacco companies, HNB tobacco should be regulated in the same way as conventional cigarettes because there is no evidence that HNB tobacco is less harmful. Clinicians need to expand their understanding of new tobacco products so that they can provide appropriate counseling.

Issues of new types of tobacco (e-cigarette and heat-not-burn tobacco): from the perspective of ‘tobacco harm reduction’

E-cigarettes, heat-not-burn (HNB) tobacco, and other new types of tobacco products are emerging in Korea. These products are particularly popular among smokers who are looking for less harmful means of tobacco consumption, and are highly relevant for existing tobacco control policies. E-cigarettes, which are electronic devices designed to allow the user to inhale nicotine as a vapor, are controversial in terms of their safety and effects on smoking cessation, as a variety of harmful substances have been detected in e-cigarette vapor. Due to policy differences in tobacco harm reduction, the regulations on e-cigarettes differ from country to country, and domestic regulations regulate e-cigarettes in a manner similar to conventional cigarettes. In contrast, HNB tobacco was introduced in Korea in June 2017, and is rapidly expanding in the market, as active marketing campaigns seek to communicate to consumers that HNB tobacco use involves no tar and is less harmful to health. However, the World Health Organization and several professional groups have argued that based on independent studies not supported by tobacco companies, HNB tobacco should be regulated in the same way as conventional cigarettes because there is no evidence that HNB tobacco is less harmful. Clinicians need to expand their understanding of new tobacco products so that they can provide appropriate counseling.

Review of domestic and international methods of measuring radon in residential buildings

Radon, a source of natural background radiation, has been a subject of extensive studies as a major causative agent of lung cancer at the domestic and international levels. This study investigated and compared domestic and international methods of radon measurement. In the United States, radon is measured through primary and secondary testing, and a similar method is used in Canada. In the United Kingdom, only long-term radon measurements are taken with seasonal adjustments. In the Republic of Korea, both long-term and short-term measurements are taken with only primary testing. Through this study, standards for domestic radon measurement methods and improvement plans could be suggested.

Association between Nutrition Label Use and Chronic Disease in Korean Adults: The Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2009

Nutrition labels are helpful for chronic disease management in patients requiring balanced nutritional intake. This study aimed to investigate the association between the use of nutrition labels and chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia) by using the 2008-2009 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. A total of 10,695 individuals aged 20 and over was included in the analysis. Using multiple logistic regressions, there was no difference in nutrition label use between the chronic disease and normal groups (men with hypertension OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.75-1.27; women with hypertension OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.67-1.03; men with diabetes OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.45-1.08; women with diabetes OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.84-1.53; men with hyperlipidemia OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.59-1.23; women with hyperlipidemia OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.91-1.44). In hyperlipidemia patients, awareness (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.03-2.35) and control (OR, 2.19; 95% CI, 2.32-3.63) of disease were related to nutrition label use; however, no significant associations were found for the hypertension and diabetes mellitus patients. Considering the importance of dietary habits in the management of chronic diseases, an improvement in nutrition label use by patients with these diseases is required.