The graphic warning labels slapped onto cigarette packages since 2016 are proving useful in stopping teens from smoking, a survey by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) showed.

According to the survey, eight out of 10 adolescents said they thought smoking bad for health after seeing the warning picture

Around 50 percent of teens who smoked said the pictures helped them recognize negative consequences of smoking on health. One out of three teen smokers also said the images served as motivation to quit.

The pictures had a more pronounced effect on non-smoking teens. About 90 percent of adolescents said they would not light up after seeing the picture.

In light of the findings, KCDC announced that it would increase the size of the warning pictures and add them to electronic heat-not-burn cigarettes starting in December

“We will change the front-side cigarette pack warning picture starting in December 2018 and also add a picture that symbolizes carcinogens on heat-not-burn electronic cigarettes to raise awareness on the harmful effects of cigarettes to help induce quitting and maximize smoking prevention,” the agency said.

It went on to say, “We plan to keep monitoring the index regarding adolescent smoking necessary to strengthen the national smoking policy through the online survey on adolescent health status.”

Thursday was the 31^st World No Tobacco Day.

yjc@docdocdoc.co.kr

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