Ministry of Health and Welfare Releases Age-Specific Anti-Smoking Ads for World No Tobacco Day

39th World No Tobacco Day Ceremony Held
Synthetic Nicotine Now Regulated as Tobacco
Highlighting the Dangers of Nicotine Products Including E-cigarettes

The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Institute held the "39th World No Tobacco Day Ceremony" at the Federation of Korean Industries Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, on May 29 and released the first smoking cessation advertisement of the year, which highlights the dangers of nicotine products, including e-cigarettes.

2026 First Smoking Cessation Advertisement Poster for Youth. Ministry of Health and Welfare

The theme of this year's World No Tobacco Day is "The Truth Behind the Glamorous Temptation: Stand Up Against Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction." The campaign aims to expose the tobacco industry's strategies for making nicotine and tobacco products appear attractive to adolescents and young adults, thereby encouraging them to start using these products. It also seeks to address the spread of new nicotine products and the problem of indiscriminate advertising.

Recently, the tobacco industry has been adding flavors and scents that increase the addictiveness of nicotine and tobacco products to new types of tobacco, such as e-cigarettes, and adopting flashy designs to attract adolescents and young adults to start smoking. The industry is also employing strategies that downplay health risks. According to the 2024 Youth Health Behavior Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 36.3% of adolescents began smoking with e-cigarettes, and among them, 52.9% later switched to conventional cigarettes. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes the need for governments around the world to take active measures to block these "attractiveness strategies" for tobacco products and to protect future generations from nicotine addiction.

Approximately 200 people attended the ceremony, including Lee Hyunghoon, Second Vice Minister of Health and Welfare; Kim Heonju, President of the Korea Health Promotion Institute; and individuals recognized for their contributions to smoking cessation efforts. Awards were presented to 89 individuals, including Kim Geumja, a smoking cessation counselor, who contributed to the spread of a non-smoking culture. The event also featured a proclamation of the campaign's theme.

This year's advertisement aims to clearly communicate the dangers of nicotine products, including e-cigarettes, especially as synthetic nicotine products are now regulated as tobacco. Based on research showing that the reasons and patterns for using e-cigarettes differ by age group, the campaign consists of three tailored episodes for adolescents, young adults, and middle-aged adults. By presenting the motivations and hidden risks behind e-cigarette use from a third-party perspective for each age group, the campaign is designed to help smokers recognize these dangers themselves. The slogans are "Don't Be Fooled, Quit Now" (adolescents), "Don't Be Defeated, Quit Now" (young adults), and "Don't Be Misled, Quit Now" (middle-aged adults). The advertisements will be broadcast through TV, social media, and outdoor media for about two months starting today.

An online participation campaign will also be conducted. Utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology, participants can create their own personalized smoking cessation posters with the slogan "Quit Instead of OO." The campaign will run until June 30 on the official social media accounts and website of the Ministry of Health and Welfare's smoking cessation campaign.

Vice Minister Lee Hyunghoon stated, "The recent spread of e-cigarette use is threatening the health of adolescents and young adults. Taking the revision of the Tobacco Business Act as an opportunity, we will ensure that regulations are applied to all tobacco products without exception and continue to promote a comprehensive, gap-free smoking cessation policy."

President Kim Heonju said, "Since the tobacco industry's marketing strategies can have a significant impact on future generations, it is essential to respond proactively. We will continue to work with the government to raise public awareness of the risks associated with all tobacco products and to create a smoking cessation environment that protects future generations from addiction."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.