Cigarette display racks at a convenience store in downtown Seoul. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — A new government-commissioned study has found that nearly four in ten South Korean adolescents view e-cigarettes as either a substitute for conventional cigarettes or a tool to quit smoking, underscoring the growing influence of targeted marketing campaigns by tobacco companies.
The report, released Tuesday by Sahmyook University at the request of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, surveyed 302 elementary, middle and high school students. It revealed that 39.7 percent believed e-cigarettes were a cigarette alternative or smoking-cessation device, while 32.2 percent said they were either less harmful than regular cigarettes or not harmful at all.
Researchers blamed what they called “youth-tailored marketing,” pointing to tobacco firms’ use of YouTube, Instagram and other social media platforms where influencers promote sleek devices and fruit-flavored cartridges.
Students interviewed cited “pretty designs that don’t look like cigarettes” and “pleasant fruit aromas instead of foul smells” as reasons for their curiosity, suggesting advertising is directly fueling demand.
Public health experts stressed that e-cigarettes are unambiguously tobacco products, containing nicotine and other addictive chemicals. The aerosol they emit is not harmless vapor but carries carcinogens and toxic substances. Adolescents, they warned, are especially vulnerable to nicotine addiction and long-term cognitive effects.
The study concluded that existing prevention programs are inadequate against these new tactics and urged the creation of educational content that resonates with youth culture. As part of its project, the research team developed short, meme-inspired videos and an 18-second jingle with the core message: “E-cigarettes are still cigarettes.”
“The tobacco industry is clearly targeting young people to secure future customers,” the report said. “Families and schools must provide accurate, realistic education on the risks of e-cigarettes before misconceptions take deeper root.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
