Children easily exposed to cigarette ads near school

Children are easily exposed to cigarette commercials, according to government data, Monday. / Gettyimagesbank

By Bahk Eun-ji

Children are still exposed to cigarette advertisements, with a recent study showing some areas have around seven stores within 200 meters of a school displaying them.

According to 2018 data published Monday by the Korea Health Promotion Institute, seven stores on average sold tobacco products within a 200 meters radius of the surveyed schools in Seoul.

Of 1,011 retail stores surveyed, 91 percent had some form of advertising for cigarettes such as stickers, flashing lights and small posters. According to the institute's definitions, 502 (49.7 percent) were convenience stores, 368 were supermarkets, while 11 were stationary and book stores.

These outlets had an average of 22.3 pieces of promotional material, an increase of 7.6 from 2017; and some could be seen from outside the stores, a violation of laws governing the advertising of tobacco products.

In many stores, the material is displayed close to candy and chocolates, favored by children.

Ninety-five percent of 916 middle and high school students said they had seen cigarettes sold at stores, and 85.2 percent had seen advertisements there. Nearly seventy percent were aware of at least one tobacco brand.

Owners and managers of the stores generally agreed that the advertisements could raise children's curiosity about smoking; and 77.2 percent of 554 owners supported banning such advertising in stores near schools.