Machine-assessed tar yield marketing on cigarette packages from two cities in South Korea.

ABSTRACT:

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

SUBMITTER: Iacobelli M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8231860 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature