What North Korea is doing to stop people from smoking cigarettes: North Korea is one of the countries in which there is a large population of people who smoke.
Even North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is seen publicly holding cigarettes in his hand. In such a situation, this question may come to one’s mind that how would North Korea discourage its people from smoking cigarettes?
Many campaigns have been launched against Smoking in the country. According to data from the World Health Organization, nearly half of men in North Korea smoke. However, the trend of cigarette smoking among women is negligible here.
Smoking has been banned in public places under a law passed this month. But in the state media, the supreme leader Kim Jong Un is shown holding a cigarette in his hand, which sets a wrong example. In such a situation, what will be achieved by taking steps to stop smoking in the country?
What does the new law say?
In the same month, the Rokdham law has been implemented in the country, under which many rules have been made to protect the health of the people. Institutions and people must follow them. The rules for the production and sale of cigarettes have already been tightened.
Such places have also been defined where smoking cigarettes would be illegal. These include places of political and ideological education, theatre, cinema, educational institutions, public health institutions and public transport.
Violations of the rules are being discussed for fines, but no details have been given in the official media yet.
After the new law is passed, a report by the state-run news agency KCNA says that people who smoke cigarettes are at greater risk of getting corona infection. The report cites ‘doctors and international experts’.
When did the campaign against Smoking in North Korea start?
North Korea is one of the countries to sign the World Health Organization’s tobacco control agreement. He accepted it in the year 2005. Since then, there have been campaigns against tobacco in North Korea.
Warnings on the packing of tobacco products are published under the Tobacco Control Act, and Smoking is prohibited in public places.
According to a KCNA report, in the year 2019, a comprehensive campaign was launched to spread awareness about the negative effects of Smoking.
Those people who smoke cigarettes in the morning or evening were called on Korean Central Television.
This year, a website has been launched against Smoking. According to Arirang Mayari, the website that runs Propaganda, “Science and technology play an important role in the campaign against smoking.”
Chain smoker leader
But leader Kim Jong smokes them fiercely. He is often seen holding cigarettes in his hand. Whether a missile test is inspected or a visit to a children’s camp, a cigarette is visible in their hands.
In 2019, he was seen smoking cigarettes during the break when he went to Vietnam by train for a second talk with President Trump. His sister Kim Yo Jong was seen carrying an ashtray for him.
According to some media reports, Kim’s wife Ri Sol Joo has urged him to give up cigarettes, but he does not listen at all. Is it true that women in North Korea do not smoke cigarettes?
Smoking rates in North Korea have been high for the past several years, but have declined marginally in recent years. According to a report by the World Health Organization for the year 2019, 46.1 per cent of men above fifteen years of age smoke cigarettes in the country.
According to statistics, no woman smokes here. The reason for this is probably that in North Korea society, women who smoke are considered bad.
“Banning Smoking is culturally and socially prohibited for women in North Korea. Some married women or older women smoke cigarettes in private,” James Banphill, an American NGO working in North Korea, told BBC Monitoring.
According to NK News journalist Min Chao Cho, “Smoking is more common in North Korea than men. Smoking is an important role in the social, workplace or military culture of men in North Korea. Men with smoking addiction are culturally socialized.” Accepts. “
The truth is that even in government media advertisements, women are seen encouraging men to quit Smoking. But there is also a truth that Smoking in North Korea is killing people on a large scale.
According to the statistics of the TUBACO Atlas, more than 71 thousand people die every year in North Korea due to diseases associated with tobacco use.
At the same time, in Australia, the country of about the same population, 25 thousand people die every year due to tobacco-related diseases.
So what has been gained from these campaigns?
Some health experts feel that the campaigns against Smoking are taking effect.
Keynes Park, director of the Korean Health Policy Project at Harvard Medical School, says, “In 2009 52.3 per cent of men smoked, now that number is 46.1 per cent. I’ve been to North Korea more than twenty times in the last thirteen years. In Pyeong Yong People who smoke cigarettes are less visible now than before. Especially the number of youth has reduced. “
Cigarettes are easily available and affordable in North Korea.
So what has been gained from these campaigns?
Some health experts feel that the campaigns against Smoking are taking effect.
Keynes Park, director of the Korean Health Policy Project at Harvard Medical School, says, “In 2009 52.3 per cent of men smoked, now that number is 46.1 per cent. I’ve been to North Korea more than twenty times in the last thirteen years.
In Pyeong Yong People who smoke cigarettes are less visible now than before. Especially the number of youth has reduced. “
Cigarettes are easily available and affordable in North Korea. It seems that the government’s message is not clear.
Min Chao Cho says, “Like many other countries, North Korea also presents itself as a modern nation with some new health-related policies such as curbing Smoking.
But the government’s expectations and reality differ It is very much and this can be seen in the country’s anti-smoking policies and the cigarette smoking culture that is flourishing. “
Some analysts believe that people will need strong inhibitors to stop smoking.
“Probably the goal of anti-smoking campaigns is to stop people from smoking cigarettes. People in North Korea can only quit cigarettes on their own strength,” says Banfield.
But imagine if Kim Jong quit smoking those cigarettes, then the powerful message would go to the people. However, nothing can be said with certainty whether Kim will quit cigarettes or not.
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