The majority of South Koreans agreed to levying various taxes on recently popular heat-not-burn e-cigarettes, a survey showed Sunday. 

According to a survey conducted on some 1,000 adults here by market research institute Trend Monitor, 55.6 percent of the respondents agreed to the government’s move to raise taxes on HNB cigarettes. 

Last December, the National Assembly passed a bill for a tax hike on HNB cigarette products, from 528 won (50 cents) to 897 won per pack.

The power struggle has been mounting between the tobacco makers and the government over the latter’s move to impose stricter regulations, including a latest decision to have the HNB products carry the same graphic warning images and combustible tobaccos starting December this year. 

Despite tobacco makers’ marketing of HNB cigarettes as a less harmful option to replace conventional cigarettes, most of the respondents said they regard HNB cigarettes still unhealthy compare to traditional cigarettes.

About 71 percent said they view HNB cigarettes as not a lot better than conventional cigarettes, while 80 percent said HNB cigarettes are as harmful as conventional cigarettes. 

Only 12.7 percent said HBN cigarettes are helpful to quit smoking. However, among the current HNB cigarette-users, 34.8 percent said it is helpful.

With regard to the government’s recent analysis of safety of HNB cigarettes, 81.9 percent said there should be a more objective safety test on HNB products. Over 40 percent said they have seen the side effects of using HNB cigarettes. 

For the reasons why smokers use HNB products, 73.9 percent of HNB cigarette smokers said it’s because they do not smell like traditional cigarettes, more than double the amount of people who cited the products ability to help cut down on smoking (33.1 percent) and as a useful aid for quitting smoking (31.7 percent). 

(ddd@heraldcorp.com)