South Korea's National Assembly Discusses Amendments To The Tobacco Industry Act; Research On The Carcinogenicity Of Synthetic Nicotine Questioned

South Korea's National Assembly discusses amendments to the Tobacco Industry Act; research on the carcinogenicity of synthetic nicotine questioned

The public hearing on the amendment to the Tobacco Business Act of South Korea held on the 27th discussed the inclusion of synthetic nicotine products in the scope of regulation. The Electronic Cigarette Association supported the regulation, while the Electronic Cigarette Oil Safety Association questioned the Ministry of Health's research on synthetic nicotine. The Ministry of Health stated that the research results were legal and accurate.

According to V.Daum on December 27, the public hearing on the amendment to the Tobacco Business Act held by the South Korean National Assembly was held on the same day (27th) in Yeouido, Seoul.

Kim Do-hwan (김도환), executive vice president of the Federation of Electronic Cigarette Associations of Korea, pointed out that synthetic nicotine can be sold through online shopping platforms, vending machines, and the Internet without a tobacco retailer license. He criticized that this indiscriminate promotion also affects minors who should not be exposed to tobacco. The president also emphasized that the disorderly circulation of synthetic nicotine has caused damage to tobacco retailers authorized by the government. He said that more than 4,000 legally certified retailers across the country are facing a threat to their survival, so he supports the synthetic nicotine regulation law so that the market can normalize as soon as possible.

Currently, 10 draft amendments have been submitted to the National Assembly, proposing to expand the definition of tobacco from the current "tobacco leaf products" to products including synthetic nicotine. At the public hearing, experts from all walks of life provided opinions on the amendment.

The Ministry of Strategy and Finance, which is responsible for tobacco management, had previously been cautious about regulating synthetic nicotine, but due to a study by the Ministry of Health and Welfare showing that synthetic nicotine contains a variety of harmful substances that are carcinogenic and reproductive toxic, the ministry's position has shifted to support necessary regulatory measures.

In addition, the Korean Electronic Cigarette Oil Safety Association opposed the draft amendment, claiming that synthetic nicotine does not contain carcinogenic ingredients, and warned that such enforcement may lead to a growth in the consumption of more harmful traditional cigarettes and nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, and suggested that enforcement and investigation of existing products be prioritized. The association also questioned the credibility of the institution responsible for the Ministry of Health and Welfare's research and should restart the research. The research samples may have deliberately used counterfeit synthetic nicotine that was mainly tobacco nicotine and mislabeled, or adopted distorted research methods.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare, which conducted the research task, said that there were no major problems with the research process or results. An official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare responded to this by saying, "This is an organization that has extensive experience in analyzing tobacco components and has performed many tasks entrusted by the government or public institutions. Procedurally speaking, this is professional academic research under the National Contract Act, so a negotiation contract was signed. It was concluded and executed in accordance with the law."