Health Promotion ; Humans ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Smoking ; epidemiology ; Smoking Cessation ; legislation & jurisprudence ; statistics & numerical data ; Smoking Prevention

OBJECTIVETo explore the access to tobacco and exam the predictors of successful tobacco purchase attempts among Chinese minors.

METHODSA simulative trial of purchasing cigarettes was participated by 201 sixth grade students to assess the prevalence of illegal cigarette sales to minors in Guangzhou. Methods of Chi-square and unconditional logistic regression were used to identify the significant predictors,with the result of tobacco purchase as the dependent variable and the characteristics of stores, retailers and minors as the independent variables.

RESULTSA total of 165 students succeeded in purchasing cigarettes but 36 failed, and the percentage of successful purchase attempts was 82. 1% . Data from univariate analysis indicated that 9 factors were significantly associated with students' success in purchasing cigarettes. They were age and height of the purchasers, types of stores, seller's gender and age, posting cigarette advertisements,showing warning signs of 'no cigarette selling to minors' ,asking buyer's age,and asking whom you buy the cigarettes for. The results of multivariable analysis showed that only three variables entering the final logistic regression: the age of students, the type of stores, and showing warning signs of 'no cigarette selling to minors'.

CONCLUSIONChinese minors have easy access to purchasing cigarettes, especially in groceries and small markets. Selling cigarettes by sellers to minors should be monitored and managed in the future.

Adolescent ; Child ; China ; Commerce ; legislation & jurisprudence ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Minors ; statistics & numerical data ; Smoking ; epidemiology ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Students ; statistics & numerical data

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarrettes) were recently introduced and advertised as a smoking cession device in South Korea. As the social norm to quit smoking has gained hold in the country, the number of e-cigarette users is growing rapidly. This phenomenon should be urgently considered, because of the lack of research that has been conducted to examine the safety of e-cigarettes and its efficacy as a smoking cessation aid. This paper raises several public health concerns on e-cigarettes in South Korea. Uncertain regulations of the government on e-cigarettes are contributing to an increase of e-cigarette users and allowing the e-cigarette industry to circumvent existing regulations. The aggressive marketing activity of this industry is also a core factor that is responsible for the rapid increase of e-cigarette use, in particular among the youth. Following the enforcement of tobacco control, some cigarette smokers may be encouraged to purchase e-cigarettes in order to circumvent the regulations, even though the dual use of e-cigarette and cigarette may be more harmful. Until there is clear evidence of the e-cigarette's safety, it is recommended that the industry's marketing and promotional activities be banned and closely monitored, and public campaigns be initiated to educate the public regarding e-cigarettes.
Adult ; *Electronics ; Female ; *Government Regulation ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Nicotine ; Prevalence ; *Public Health Practice ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Safety ; Smoking/epidemiology/legislation & jurisprudence/*prevention & control ; Smoking Cessation/*legislation & jurisprudence ; Young Adult

The purpose of this study was to compare smoking control strategies between Korea and the United States. Korea and other developing countries may learn from the experience of the United States in dealing with the growing epidemic of cigarettes. In particular, smoking control objectives, structures, laws and regulations, funds, programs and activities, research, and surveillance systems were compared. The comparison was conducted at the federal, states/provincial, and county levels of the two countries. The data were collected through various governmental websites, contact with people directly, and a literature review. Based on the comparison, seven recommendations for smoking control strategies were made primarily for Korea.
Cross-Cultural Comparison ; Federal Government ; Financing, Government/organization & administration ; Government Programs/*organization & administration ; Government Regulation ; Health Education/organization & administration ; Health Policy/legislation & jurisprudence ; Health Priorities/organization & administration ; Health Promotion/*organization & administration ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Local Government ; Population Surveillance ; *Public Health Practice/economics/legislation & jurisprudence ; Research Support as Topic/organization & administration ; Smoking/epidemiology/*legislation & jurisprudence/*prevention & control ; Smoking Cessation/legislation & jurisprudence/methods ; State Government ; United States/epidemiology

An understanding of the characteristics of occupational lung cancer is important to establish policies that prevent carcinogen exposure and to compensate workers exposed to lung carcinogens. This study analyzed the characteristics of occupational lung cancers in workers who were compensated under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Law between 1994 and 2011. A total of 179 occupational lung cancers were compensated. The main carcinogenic exposure was asbestos, followed by crystalline silica and hexavalent chromium. The mean exposure duration and latency were 19.8 and 23.2 yr. The most common industry was manufacturing, followed by construction and transportation. The most common occupation was maintenance and repair, followed by foundry work, welding, painting, and spinning or weaving. Although asbestos was predominant carcinogen, the proportion of these cases was relatively low compared to other developed countries. Proper surveillance system is needed to monitor occupational lung cancer and improve prevention measures.
Adult ; Aged ; Asbestos/toxicity ; Chromium/toxicity ; Female ; Humans ; Insurance Benefits/legislation & jurisprudence ; Lung Neoplasms/economics/*epidemiology/etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases/economics/*epidemiology/etiology ; Occupational Exposure ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Silicon Dioxide/toxicity ; Smoking ; Workers' Compensation/statistics & numerical data