"Sweet Peach" Banned, Yet 'Cigarette Ads' Remain in Plain Sight Near Schools

"New Products Illegally Advertised as 'Inventory Exemption'"

8 to 11 Schools Within 1km Radius of E-cigarette Stores

Ministry of Health and Welfare: "We Will Investigate"... Need for Improved Enforcement

# On the afternoon of the 14th, at an unmanned electronic cigarette store near Yeongdeungpo-gu Office in Seoul, liquid electronic cigarette cartridges highlighting flavors such as lemonade and shine muscat were fully displayed inside the vending machine. Although, since April this year, liquid electronic cigarettes manufactured after this date have been banned from using phrases or images evocative of fruit in order to prevent youth smoking, these products were produced between June and July of this year. Both the vending machine screen and the store walls were filled with advertisements promoting fruit flavors such as plum and peach. There are 11 elementary, middle, and high schools within a one-kilometer radius of this location.

# A similar situation was observed on the afternoon of the 19th at an unmanned electronic cigarette store near Hongdae Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Despite being manufactured between May and July of this year, rows of liquid cartridges highlighting fruit flavors remained on display. Upon touching the vending machine’s screen, advertisements for flavored products such as pineapple and coffee, which were not seen on the shelves, were also shown. On the purchase screen, there was an explanation that read, "Synthetic nicotine products manufactured or imported before the enforcement of the Tobacco Business Act on April 24, 2026." However, when purchasing a liquid cartridge with a grape illustration, the manufacture date was marked as May 4 of this year.

On the afternoon of the 19th, a commercial emphasizing fruit-flavored liquid electronic cigarettes was broadcast at an unmanned electronic cigarette store in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jiyé Lee

On the morning of the 14th, at an unmanned electronic cigarette store in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, liquid electronic cigarettes manufactured between June and July of this year are being sold wrapped in packaging emphasizing fruit flavors. Photo by Jiyé Lee

Although four months have passed since flavored advertisements for liquid electronic cigarettes were banned to prevent youth from starting to smoke, products emphasizing fruit flavors are still openly being sold. Some point out that the grace period, during which regulations are not applied to inventory manufactured or imported prior to the policy implementation, has created a loophole in enforcement.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency as of August 21, the conventional (leaf tobacco) smoking rate among students from the first year of middle school to the third year of high school stood at 3.3% as of last year. This rate has been on a downward trend, from 4.5% in 2021, to 4.5% in 2022, 4.2% in 2023, and 3.6% in 2024. On the other hand, the usage rate for liquid electronic cigarettes remained steady at 2.9% in 2021, 3.3% in 2022, 3.1% in 2023, 3.0% in 2024, and 2.9% last year. This data is based on survey responses from students at sample schools. It is estimated that the actual number of youth smokers is higher, as not all students responded to the survey.

In April this year, a revised Tobacco Business Act went into effect, expanding the definition of tobacco from just leaf tobacco to include products made from stems and roots, as well as those using natural or synthetic nicotine as raw materials. The main point of the revision is that liquid electronic cigarettes, which had not been legally classified as tobacco, are now subject to the same regulations as conventional tobacco. As a result, phrases, images, or photographs that evoke fruit or desserts can no longer be used on liquid electronic cigarette packaging or advertisements under the National Health Promotion Act. However, a grace period was set for inventory manufactured or imported before the law went into effect.

The principal aim of such regulation is to decrease the appeal of smoking to youth. According to a report published last year by the National Assembly Research Service, youths who use electronic cigarettes are 3.5 times more likely to become conventional smokers. The report concluded that electronic cigarettes, with their accessible flavors and forms, can act as a gateway to smoking.

Nevertheless, flavored electronic cigarette advertisements continue openly due to exceptions for inventory produced before the enforcement of the revised regulations, which have created a way to evade enforcement. Experts also point out that, to enhance the effectiveness of these regulations, there needs to be either a set depletion deadline for such inventory or a more active approach to enforcement by the relevant authorities.

Kwon Ilnam, professor of Youth Guidance at Myongji University, said, "Government and local authorities responsible for enforcement have not fully understood the regulatory details," and emphasized, "If youth are routinely exposed to electronic cigarette advertisements, their sense of caution about the health risks diminishes and the likelihood of smoking increases, so thorough enforcement is essential."

An official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the chief responsible agency, stated, "Since most products currently in distribution are inventory, enforcement is difficult, and even from the regulator's standpoint, the situation in the field is challenging," adding, "We will check stores selling the products in question or similar types and investigate the facts with the relevant companies as well."

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