A comparative study on changes in the use of heat-not-burn tobacco products based on whether apartment buildings have designated non-smoking areas

INTRODUCTION: Since 2016, multi-family housing developments in South Korea can designate public areas such as staircases, elevator, corridors, and underground parking lots as non-smoking areas if at least half of the households residing in the development agree. This study investigated whether there were changes in the use of heat-not-burn tobacco products (HnB) based on whether non-smoking areas were introduced in multi-family housing developments. METHODS: An online survey of 1200 apartment residents (599 men and 601 women) in seven metropolitan cities in South Korea was conducted from 10 to 18 October 2018. RESULTS: Among the 1200 people who completed the survey, 493 were smokers (351 men and 142 women), of whom 287 (195 men and 92 women) were currently using HnB. In total, 51.5% (n=148) of the HnB users reported that their smoking frequency inside (n=75) or outside (n=73) the apartment building increased after using HnB, whereas the smoking frequency of 27.5% (n=79) decreased and that of 20.9% (n=6) remained unchanged. Of the HnB users, 25.4% (n=73) were currently living in non-smoking apartments, of whom 39.7% reported that the smoking frequency outside the apartment building increased. On the other hand, of 214 people who did not currently reside in non-smoking apartments, 30.4% reported that the smoking frequency in the apartment increased. CONCLUSIONS: For smokers to quit smoking, the expansion of non-smoking areas should be accompanied by the facilitation of a smoke-free atmosphere and a smoking-cessation service for smokers.