In this blog post, we discuss why cigarettes remain legal despite being more harmful than drugs, and whether they require strict regulation.
When people hear the word “drugs,” they tend to conjure up intense images. Furthermore, since drugs are legally prohibited, people’s awareness of their dangers is relatively well-established. In contrast, although tobacco is a harmful substance just like drugs, it does not receive the same level of attention. In reality, while people who use drugs are rare, smokers are easy to find. The fact that tobacco is harmful to health has already been proven by numerous studies, and many people are aware of this. A well-known professor has even emphasized that cigarettes are more harmful than some drugs. As a non-smoker who had never paid much attention to cigarettes, I began to wonder if, given this, cigarettes might also require legal regulation similar to that of drugs.
When you stand at the checkout counter of a convenience store, you can see a wide variety of cigarettes on display. Products with different flavors, scents, and thicknesses are constantly being released to cater to consumer preferences. In this way, cigarettes have established themselves as luxury goods through the distinctive features of each brand. However, an important fact consumers should be aware of is that they are voluntarily paying money to purchase a substance that threatens their health.
Cigarettes are often described as “harmful with no benefits.” This is because each component in cigarettes can cause various health problems. Nicotine, for example, acts on the central nervous system to cause addiction. It rapidly reaches the brain, affecting neurotransmitters, disrupting the endocrine system, and adversely affecting various organs. For example, it acts on skeletal muscle receptors to relax the muscles. Additionally, “tar” is a general term for the non-gaseous components of tobacco, which include various toxic substances, including about 20 types of carcinogens. Among the gaseous components, carbon monoxide is the most harmful; it binds to hemoglobin, causing hypoxia and disrupting metabolism. In addition, tobacco contains numerous harmful substances such as toluene and arsenic. In conclusion, tobacco can be described as a “concentrate of evil” that brings together various health threats.
The diseases caused by tobacco are also extremely diverse. Tobacco is directly linked to approximately 70% of respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, and bronchitis. In particular, a causal relationship between smoking and lung cancer has been proven. In 2008, the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Medicine submitted an expert opinion stating that smoking causes lung cancer, and this fact was officially recognized in a 2012 lawsuit. Cigarettes also cause various cardiovascular diseases by raising blood pressure, increasing heart rate, and promoting blood clotting, while also increasing the risk of oral cancer and periodontitis.
Tobacco is a major cause of reduced life expectancy and increased mortality rates. Millions of people lose their lives every year due to tobacco. It is deeply unfortunate that, despite these risks, tobacco is consumed as a luxury item. Tobacco companies generate profits by exploiting nicotine’s addictive properties and use flavorings like menthol to increase nicotine absorption and heighten addiction. In this context, treating tobacco as a luxury item raises ethical concerns.
It is clear that tobacco is a factor that harms public health. Yet, unlike other harmful drugs, tobacco is sold legally. Is it truly right that tobacco, which poses risks comparable to those of drugs, is legally permitted?
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines drugs as substances that induce strong cravings, lead to increased usage, cause withdrawal symptoms, and harm individuals and society. According to this standard, tobacco can also be considered to fall within the category of narcotics to some extent. Of course, the craving for tobacco and changes in consumption may not be as extreme as those associated with narcotics, but this does not mean that tobacco is less dangerous. In fact, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s 2022 Community Health Survey, the average daily cigarette consumption among smokers has been steadily increasing.
Tobacco addiction is a serious problem. Nicotine acts on the human body through the same mechanisms as narcotics such as heroin, cocaine, and amphetamines, and its addictiveness is higher than that of marijuana. Carbon monoxide is also a component that contributes to tobacco’s addictiveness. Once addicted, the tendency to maintain nicotine levels at a certain level makes quitting difficult and leads to withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia and headaches.
The reason tobacco became widely commercialized worldwide lies in its historical background. After Christopher Columbus introduced tobacco to Europe in 1492, it was regarded as a luxury gift among the wealthy and promoted as a cure-all. It was introduced to Korea via Japan during the mid-Joseon Dynasty and was recognized as a beneficial medicine even at that time.
South Korea has one of the highest smoking rates among OECD countries and is implementing anti-smoking policies. However, measures such as raising cigarette prices and designating smoke-free zones have not significantly increased the rate of smoking cessation. The warning labels on cigarette packs are also less effective because they are obscured by the packaging design. Therefore, the government must pursue stronger anti-smoking policies, and cigarette packaging should be standardized with plain, non-advertising designs.
While there are voices advocating for smoking cessation, there are also those who assert the right to smoke. A Japanese smokers’ group argues that we must create a society where smokers and non-smokers can coexist. However, looking at the case of marijuana, we can see that even if it is less addictive, legal regulation is necessary to protect public health.
In particular, since secondhand smoke directly threatens the health of others, the right to smoke must be restricted. Secondhand smoke poses an even more serious problem because it involves inhaling harmful smoke that has not passed through a filter.
Finally, we need to verify whether information about tobacco is being properly communicated. It is unreasonable to advocate for the right to choose to smoke when there is a lack of awareness regarding the dangers of tobacco.
Through this article, I believe that tobacco should be treated in the same manner as narcotics. While immediate implementation may be difficult, in the long term, we must move toward classifying tobacco as a narcotic. This can be achieved by reducing tobacco production and more clearly communicating the dangers of tobacco to the public.
