A new report found that Korean cigarette prices would have to increase by 360% before smokers would quit, rising to an average of ₩9,065 (USD $8.55) a pack rather than the current price of ₩2,500 (USD $2.36). South Korea has the lowest cigarette prices among the 22 OECD nations and one of the highest smoking rates, 44.3%, second only to Greece.
Netizens were split between agreeing that a sharp price increase would be worthwhile to help improve the nation’s health and protesting that such a move would be too painful for the average consumer.
Article from Munhwa Ilbo:
“If it costs 9065 won, I’m gonna quit smoking”.. 360% increase would be enough, according to survey of 800 male smokers by the Ministry of Health
According to survey results, Korean men say that they will quit smoking if cigarette prices increase to 9,065 won. The survey also showed that respondents would accept beer and soju price increases of 96.1 won and 80.3 won, respectively, in order to reduce societal harms such as drinking.
According to “Policy Effects of Tobacco and Alcohol Prices”, a report released by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs on November 20th, 800 male smokers across the country were surveyed and divided into social economic variables such as age, income, and education. According to the results of the regression analysis, the average price of cigarette would have to increase to 9,065 won before respondents would express the intent to quit smoking. This is 3.6 times greater than the current price (about 2,500 won).
While low-income level (bottom 25%) persons showed willingness to quit smoking when cigarette prices were at 8,124 won, high income persons (top 25%) said they would have a similar desire only when prices hit 10,113 won.
Meanwhile, according to the survey and regression analysis results of 1000 adult men and women across the country regarding alcohol consumption, people are willing to pay an additional 96.1 won for beer (low alcohol content) and 80.3 won for soju (high alcohol content) in order to reduce societal harms such as domestic violence.
Comments from Daum:
진짜돌:
So they want to try raising the price of cigarette. Alright. I will call their bluff. Raise the price to 10,000 won a pack.
수우♪:
If they ever make cigarettes that expensive, no one will ever get old enough to die of lung cancer, their wife will just beat them to death.
그리하여:
Yep, 50,000 won a pack makes sense..
대지의아침:
What year is it? Myung-bak Lee kept on fumbling around with the price for alcohol and cigarettes, but all they did was make plans ke ke lowering the taxes on the rich and raising taxes on the common man, get out of here ke ke ke we must be idiots to have made a government like this ke ke ke dig your hole even deeper
바람처럼:
So if no one will start quitting until it hits 8,000 a pack, then it must not be a problem to raise it to 6,000… smokers will keep on spending, at least raise it to over 5,000
jabra:
So the government stops collecting taxes on the powerful, then in order to make their budget they talk about the health of the people and jack up taxes on cigarettes, which are a comfort to citizens!!! You can compare the situation to other developed countries when you talk about raising the price, but then we should start spending the same amount as they do on national welfare!! These selfish bastards just think of how to make the situation better for themselves!! that’s what you get with a pro-Japanese government…
FREE HAND:
Sure, looking at when the price has gone up in the past, they would have to raise it to 10,000 won to get people to quit. Even in Southeast Asia, where the cost of living is low, they charge 3-4,000 a pack. Really, our cigarette prices are too low, jack them up some
남병철:
And if suddenly everyone were to stop smoking, wouldn’t you know it, but they would start lowering the price of cigarettes^^
강산에:
It looks like our government is about to become a drug dealer
김포약주와참이슬50씩섞어마심:
Don’t sell them in packs, sell them in singles. 50,000 won for smoke
쿨보이님 다른댓글보기
“Father, I present to you a single box of good cigarettes hahaha yes, yes, it’s quite previous” that will be the future, when the best present to give to someone will be a box of cigarettes. I would love to see that day come
eric:
Yep, make it $100 a pack! then use that money to treat lung cancer patients
대화1123:
Don’t separate smokers and non-smokers, drinkers and non-drinkers and then slander and pick faults with them. If you say it’s a problem concerning the people’s health, then don’t sell them. There isn’t anything that can substitute alcohol and tobacco as stress relievers..
Everyone knows that the government collects the taxes even if it means selling things that aren’t good for people’s health. I’m not like the rich, I can’t even spend some a few million won to ride bicycles, pay the campsite fee, and buy hiking equipment. Stop it with the taxes. and public utility charges are going up.. I can’t live like this..
나사풀린재용:
Comparing it to the OECD price? Cut the bullshit. You’ve got to compare the price to the minimum wage in those countries. The dimwits who made this study were trying to pull the wool over your eyes.. And how could they make people stop selling cigarettes when they get so much tax money from it? Itemize where they spend that tax money. After they use it to build smoking rooms they would have so much left over, ugh, makes me want to spit
그럭저럭중간:
Let’s make cigarettes 1,000,000 won a pack..We will see people flock around any smoker like clouds. We will see girls fussing around and saying that the guy is handsome if he smokes two cigarettes consecutively. Of course, their ideal man might be a smoker..
