North Korean Media: DPRK Strengthens Tobacco Control Measures and Raises Tobacco Prices to Discourag

According to a report from the Korean Central News Agency on May 31, North Korea held a discussion on World No Tobacco Day in Pyongyang on the 27th local time. Relevant officials stated that North Korea will strengthen multi-faceted cooperation on tobacco control issues both domestically and internationally.

According to reports, North Korea has held discussions on World No Tobacco Day annually since 2013. This year's discussion released recommendations from past meetings and their implementation status, and provided an overview of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.

Choi Sook-hyun, a responsible official from North Korea's Ministry of Health, stated that in recent years, North Korea has actively carried out tobacco control work and achieved gratifying results in various cooperative activities.

According to Choi Sook-hyun, North Korea has strengthened smoking bans in educational institutions, health facilities, and public places, and has conducted health promotion activities for this purpose. With the strengthening of school education and social education, the smoking rate among young people has significantly decreased.

Reports indicate that statistics show that the smoking rate among North Korean men dropped from 50.3% in 2009 to 43.9% in 2014, with no female smokers at all.

Additionally, North Korea has taken measures to raise tobacco prices, prohibit the import of foreign cigarettes, and firmly reject electronic cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products.