By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Tobacco companies will be banned from sponsoring mass events to prevent them from either intentionally or unintentionally promoting their products, the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said Thursday.
The measure comes as a part of the government's ``Quit-Smoking 2020'' plan aimed at cutting the smoking rate to 20 percent by 2020 from 22.3 percent last year.
At the moment tobacco companies own sports teams and are sponsoring various events, which, through brand recognition, has the same effect as advertising. The regulation is expected to curb all promotions or campaigns based on tobacco products, ministry officials said.
The smoking rate has steadily fallen since 1992 when it stood at 39.5 percent.
``However, the rate has stayed above 20 percent for the past several years and we concluded only drastic measures will pull it down,'' an official at the ministry's public healthcare division said.
Retail stores selling tobacco products will have to redesign their shelves so that cigarettes are hidden from view. The relevant bill already was passed at the National Assembly last year.
Also, as part of tightening the Teenager Protection Act, young people buying cigarettes will have to show their identification cards no matter how old they are or how old they look.
The ministry's plans were inspired by the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. They are intended to protect people from exposure to tobacco smoke, and regulating tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, as well as measures to increase prices and taxes to reduce demand.