Machine-assessed tar yield marketing on cigarette packages from two cities in South Korea
Introduction South Koreans continue to smoke at high rates. Tobacco manufacturers have a history of branding cigarettes with misleading descriptors including the introduction of low or ultra-low tar brand variants. The government bans traditional misleading descriptors (low, mild) but requires the p...
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doaj-147f797ef96a4751a55cea70c1d4f1042021-08-05T07:55:17ZengEuropean PublishingTobacco Induced Diseases1617-96252021-07-0119July1810.18332/tid/136421136421Machine-assessed tar yield marketing on cigarette packages from two cities in South KoreaMichael Iacobelli0Juhee Cho1Kevin Welding2Kate Smith3Joanna E. Cohen4Institute for Global Tobacco Control, Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, United StatesDepartment of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation, The Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, South KoreaInstitute for Global Tobacco Control, Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, United StatesDepartment of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, United StatesInstitute for Global Tobacco Control, Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, United StatesIntroduction South Koreans continue to smoke at high rates. Tobacco manufacturers have a history of branding cigarettes with misleading descriptors including the introduction of low or ultra-low tar brand variants. The government bans traditional misleading descriptors (low, mild) but requires the presence of machine-assessed tar yields on cigarette packages. Literature suggests the presence of quantitative constituents can be misleading for smokers. We analyzed the machine-assessed tar value branding and the presence of additional branding that highlight tar levels on South Korean cigarette packs. Methods In August 2018, we analyzed 178 unique cigarette packs purchased in Seoul and Busan, South Korea using a systematic protocol. Cigarette packs were coded for tar levels and classified as ultra-low, low, mid, and high tar. The presence of misleading descriptors and any additional branding relating to tar or potentially indicating strength were also coded. Results Machine-assessed tar yields ranged from 0.1 to 8 mg. Cigarettes with a 1 mg machine-assessed tar yield accounted for 38% of all packs purchased. A majority (80%) of packs with tar values <3 mg had additional marketing present on the pack that highlighted tar yields, compared to 45% for packs with tar values 3 mg or greater. Many (85%) of the 1 mg packs and all of the 0.1 and 0.5 mg packs had additional marketing present that referenced tar levels. Conclusions These findings suggest that tobacco manufacturers are highlighting and reinforcing the tar yields of lower tar cigarettes by the deliberate use of tar level branding. These actions have the potential to mislead South Korean consumers that some cigarettes are less harmful than others. Strengthening of tobacco packaging regulations to prohibit references to tar yields on packs are needed to further protect consumers.http://www.tobaccoinduceddiseases.org/Machine-assessed-tar-yield-marketing-on-cigarette-packages-from-two-cities-in-South,136421,0,2.htmlpackagingbrandingsouth koreamisleading descriptors |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Michael Iacobelli Juhee Cho Kevin Welding Kate Smith Joanna E. Cohen |
spellingShingle |
Michael Iacobelli Juhee Cho Kevin Welding Kate Smith Joanna E. Cohen Machine-assessed tar yield marketing on cigarette packages from two cities in South Korea Tobacco Induced Diseases packaging branding south korea misleading descriptors |
author_facet |
Michael Iacobelli Juhee Cho Kevin Welding Kate Smith Joanna E. Cohen |
author_sort |
Michael Iacobelli |
title |
Machine-assessed tar yield marketing on cigarette packages from two cities in South Korea |
title_short |
Machine-assessed tar yield marketing on cigarette packages from two cities in South Korea |
title_full |
Machine-assessed tar yield marketing on cigarette packages from two cities in South Korea |
title_fullStr |
Machine-assessed tar yield marketing on cigarette packages from two cities in South Korea |
title_full_unstemmed |
Machine-assessed tar yield marketing on cigarette packages from two cities in South Korea |
title_sort |
machine-assessed tar yield marketing on cigarette packages from two cities in south korea |
publisher |
European Publishing |
series |
Tobacco Induced Diseases |
issn |
1617-9625 |
publishDate |
2021-07-01 |
description |
Introduction
South Koreans continue to smoke at high rates. Tobacco manufacturers
have a history of branding cigarettes with misleading descriptors including
the introduction of low or ultra-low tar brand variants. The government bans
traditional misleading descriptors (low, mild) but requires the presence of
machine-assessed tar yields on cigarette packages. Literature suggests the
presence of quantitative constituents can be misleading for smokers. We analyzed
the machine-assessed tar value branding and the presence of additional branding
that highlight tar levels on South Korean cigarette packs.
Methods
In August 2018, we analyzed 178 unique cigarette packs purchased
in Seoul and Busan, South Korea using a systematic protocol. Cigarette packs
were coded for tar levels and classified as ultra-low, low, mid, and high tar. The
presence of misleading descriptors and any additional branding relating to tar or
potentially indicating strength were also coded.
Results
Machine-assessed tar yields ranged from 0.1 to 8 mg. Cigarettes with a
1 mg machine-assessed tar yield accounted for 38% of all packs purchased. A
majority (80%) of packs with tar values <3 mg had additional marketing present
on the pack that highlighted tar yields, compared to 45% for packs with tar values
3 mg or greater. Many (85%) of the 1 mg packs and all of the 0.1 and 0.5 mg
packs had additional marketing present that referenced tar levels.
Conclusions
These findings suggest that tobacco manufacturers are highlighting
and reinforcing the tar yields of lower tar cigarettes by the deliberate use of
tar level branding. These actions have the potential to mislead South Korean
consumers that some cigarettes are less harmful than others. Strengthening of
tobacco packaging regulations to prohibit references to tar yields on packs are
needed to further protect consumers. |
topic |
packaging branding south korea misleading descriptors |
url |
http://www.tobaccoinduceddiseases.org/Machine-assessed-tar-yield-marketing-on-cigarette-packages-from-two-cities-in-South,136421,0,2.html |
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