Public opinions on disclosure of tobacco components: Results of a nationwide cross-sectional survey in Republic of Korea.

This study aimed to explore public views on disclosure of tobacco components in an effort to develop a comprehensive regulatory system facilitating implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Articles 9 and 10 in Korea.In all, 1200 representative Koreans 19 years old or older were enrolled and information on their general characteristics, smoking status, awareness of the effects of smoking on health, and views on the public disclosure of tobacco components was collected by telephone using a structured questionnaire. Factors associated with acceptance of the need for public disclosure of tobacco components were identified via multivariate analysis.Most participants considered it necessary to publicly disclose tobacco components (95.9%) and were aware of the risk to health posed by smoking (76.0%). The prevalent view was that tobacco companies should be legally required to publicly disclose details of the components of cigarettes, their levels per cigarette, and their effects on health. The most effective means of disclosure were considered to be the mass media, printed materials, and labels on cigarette packs. Females and never-smokers (odds ratio [OR]: 4.39, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.76-10.94) more readily accepted the need for public disclosure, whereas those of lower educational level and/or who were less aware of the harm to health posed by smoking (OR: 0.05, 95% CI: 0.01-0.18) were less likely to be accepting.The attitude of the general population ensures that FCTC Articles 9 and 10 will be successfully implemented in Korea. Further public consultation on the details of disclosure would be useful for the development of a comprehensive regulatory system.

Scientific Evidence Supporting Policy Change: A Study on Secondhand Smoke Exposure in Non-smoking Areas of PC Rooms in Korea.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to measure secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in personal computer (PC) rooms with the purpose of determining the strength of scientific evidence supporting the legislative ban on smoking in PC rooms located in the Republic of Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From June to September 2012, particulate matter (PM2.5) and air nicotine concentration (ANC) were measured in the smoking and non-smoking areas of PC rooms in Goyang City, Korea. In 28 randomly sampled PC rooms, field investigators completed an observational questionnaire on building characteristics, smoking policies, and evidence of smoking. The geometric means (GM) of PM2.5 and ANC in smoking and non-smoking areas were compared. RESULTS: Evidence of smoking was identified in both the smoking and non-smoking areas of all PC rooms. The GMs of PM2.5 and ANC in both areas were high and did not differ significantly (174.77 µg/m(3) and 48.95 µg/m(3) in smoking areas; 93.38 µg/m(3) and 41.30 µg/m(3) in non-smoking areas). Overall PM2.5 concentrations were 5.5-fold higher than those listed in the World Health Organization guidelines. CONCLUSION: This study supported previous reports that a partial smoking ban did not protect individuals from SHS exposure. Furthermore, the results from our study suggest how research can support policy. Countries in which smoke-free policies are not yet comprehensive may find our results useful.