Tobacco cessation
Offer help to quit tobacco use
Among smokers who are aware of the dangers of tobacco, most want to quit. Counselling and medication can more than double a tobacco user's chance of successfully quitting.
Health professionals have the greatest potential of any group in society to promote the reduction of tobacco use. Studies show that few people understand the specific health risks of tobacco which include lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. Brief advice from health professionals can increase quitting success rates by up to 30%, while intensive advice increases the chance of quitting by 84%.
National tobacco cessation service in Korea
Legal Basis
Article 4 of the National Health Promotion Act
- (Formulation of Comprehensive Plans for Promoting National Health) Main agenda of the Comprehensive Plan for National Health Promotion 1. The purpose of the non-smoking category is to create a non-smoking environment which supports the prevention of smoking initiation and the cessation of current smokers to reduce smoking prevalence. In all processes, fairness shall be pursued.
Types of smoking cessation services in Korea and key details
- Smoking Cessation Clinics at Public Health Centers
- Cessation counseling (distribution of nicotine patches and cessation aids etc.) is offered to smokers in the local community through public health centers nationwide and various cessation programs are pursued in connection with companies and schools in the community to reduce smoking prevalence and enhance health of community members.
- Quitlines
- Toll-free quitlines are offered to provide information and counseling on smoking cessation and prevention.
- Online Smoking Cessation Guide
- Proper information about the harmful effects of tobacco and smoking prevention, as well as cessation counseling is offered online.
- Regional Tobacco Control Centers
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- Smoking Cessation Camp: Inpatient smoking cessation program offered by professional healthcare service providers for long-term smokers and heavy smokers.
- Door-to-Door Cessation Counseling: Cessation counseling offered to smokers with a need for easier accessibility to cessation services such as youth not enrolled in school, women, or university students.
- Online Smoking Cessation Guide
- Proper information about the harmful effects of tobacco and smoking prevention, as well as cessation counseling is offered online.
- Regional Tobacco Control Centers
-
- Smoking Cessation Camp: Inpatient smoking cessation program offered by professional healthcare service providers for long-term smokers and heavy smokers.
- Door-to-Door Cessation Counseling: Cessation counseling offered to smokers with a need for easier accessibility to cessation services such as youth not enrolled in school, women, or university students.
- Smoking Cessation Treatment Programs at Hospitals and Clinics
- Monetary support for cessation programs offered at hospitals and clinics to strengthen accessibility of professional smoking cessation treatment by medical professionals.
- Smoking Cessation Support for Military Service Members
- Smoking cessation programs and counseling offered within military installations, and support to establish a smoke-free environment.
Strategy and structure of smoking cessation services in Korea
- Various smoking cessation services are offered to different audiences according to their characteristics and nicotine addiction levels within the comprehensive framework of smoking prevention and cessation support.
- The funds that were secured from raising taxes on tobacco in 2015 were invested into smoking cessation services. Especially, free cessation support was offered to vulnerable groups to improve health equity.
- See TOBACCO CONTROL FACT SHEET No. 16 ‘Overview and Status of National Smoking Cessation Services’ & INFOGRAPHIC ‘National Smoking Cessation Support Services’
