[Intl-tobacco] Korea: Cigarette Packs to Carry Label of Harmful Content From Jan. 1

[Robert Weissman]

Cigarette Packs to Carry Label of Harmful Content From Jan. 1
by Park Yoon-bae / Staff Reporter
Source: Korea Times (kr), 2002-06-02, via tobacco.org
http://www.korealink.co.kr/kt_biz/200206/t2002060219050043110.htm


Tobacco producers will be required to attach a label showing the
harmful content of tar and nicotine per cigarette to packs of
cigarettes, starting Jan. 1 next year.

The Ministry of Finance and Economy said yesterday that the
government has decided to revise regulations to enforce the
labeling requirement.

The revised tobacco business act, which was promulgated in January
this year, called for the labeling of the harmful contents
cigarettes from the beginning of 2003.

``In line with the amended act, weve decided to change
cigarette-related regulations to introduce the labeling of the
major contents of tobacco, a ministry official said.

According to the to-be-revised regulations, the major content will
be specified as two substances _ tar and nicotine _ considered to
cause lung cancer and other respiratory ailments.

The revision draft also stipulates that cigarette manufacturers
should use milligrams (mg) as the unit of the tar and nicotine
amount.

It calls for the adoption of a method recommended by the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO), under which
cigarette smoke ought to be analyzed to gauge the amount of tar and
nicotine.

Officially authorized laboratories will be allowed to conduct tests
on cigarette contents on behalf of tobacco makers and importers.
The tests will be carried out on a quarterly basis.

``Our aim is to warn smokers of the harmful effects of smoking
cigarettes, the official said.

He said the content label should be attached to either side of a
cigarette packet and its size should be at least as large as one
fifth of the side space.

Currently, every cigarette pack is required to carry a warning that
states, ``Smoking may cause lung cancer and other ailments. In
particular, smoking is harmful to pregnant women and the youth.

The stepped-up regulations are expected to gain approval late this
month or early next month from the Cabinet meeting and go into
effect on Jan. 1.

However, cigars as well as pipe and chewing tobaccos will not be
required to meet the planned labeling requirement.