Change of Smoking Attitude in High School Students of Korea after Increase in Cigarette Tax

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Increasing cigarette tax is known to be effective in stopping smoking and preventing initiation of smoking in adolescents. This study was designed to investigate the change of smoking attitudes in high school students after increase in cigarette tax in 2004. METHODS: A self-questionnaire study was performed in high school students in Seoul and Chungnam province in June, 2004. The number of respondents was 1,424 consisting of 883 males and 541 females. The factors related to smoking cessation or reduction of smoking amount after increase in cigarette tax were analysed. RESULTS: Among the total 1,424 subjects, 199 (14.0%) students smoked before the increase in cigarette tax. The smoking rate of males and females were 19.5% and 5.0%, respectively. Thirty nine percent of smokers quit smoking or reduced the smoking amount after increase in tax, among them 28.6% of the smokers (27.9% and 33.0% for males and females, respectively) reported quitting smoking. Female smokers and smokers in preparation stage of Prochaska model reported quitting smoking or reducing the smoking amount than male smokers and smokers in pre-consideration stage (OR 6.8595% CI=1.78~26.33, OR 6.6295% CI= 2.20~19.95, respectively). CONCLUSION: Increase of cigarette tax was effective in quitting the smoking and reducing the smoking amount in adolescents in Korea.