"Please Stop Smoking Cigarettes on the Street" Citizens Frustrated with 'Mask Under Chin Smoking' During COVID-19 [Reporter Han Goes]

Smoking continues despite closure of smoking booths due to COVID-19 spread
Smoking with 'Tukseukeu' mask on... concerns over secondhand smoke and COVID-19 spread
Health authorities "Strongly emphasize smoking cessation during COVID-19 outbreak"

Citizens are gathered, defiantly smoking in a smoking booth on Namdaemun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, where a decision to restrict use has been made. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "This seems inappropriate, smoking on the street during the COVID-19 pandemic..."

As concerns over the spread of COVID-19 have led to requests for refraining from using urban smoking booths, some smokers are ignoring this and smoking on the streets, causing displeasure among citizens.

Related agencies are urging smokers to refrain from smoking, but comprehensive enforcement is practically difficult, resulting in concerns over the spread of COVID-19 as well as infringement on citizens' health rights due to secondhand smoke.

One smoking booth near Namdaemun-ro in Jung-gu, Seoul, is currently unusable due to the impact of COVID-19. However, smokers gathered near the booth and continued smoking on the street. This has caused secondhand smoke exposure to passersby, and since they smoke without wearing masks, the risk of COVID-19 spread inevitably increases.

Citizens expressed immediate frustration. They criticized smokers for removing masks and smoking during the COVID-19 outbreak phase, thereby violating quarantine rules.

A man in his 40s, Kim, a company employee met near the booth, said, "Isn't this just selfish behavior? They smoke to relieve stress, but from the perspective of citizens watching, there is secondhand smoke damage and it is very frustrating."

Another university student in his 20s, Lee, criticized, "They blocked the smoking booth to prevent smoking, but smoking right next to it like that?I really don't know what they are thinking." He added, "Causing harm to others is just not right; they are really bad people."

Office workers are smoking. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

As citizens' complaints continue, about seven office workers were gathered near the smoking booth, continuously smoking. However, this behavior violates the government's quarantine rules that prohibit smoking during the COVID-19 situation.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, during smoking, the mouth touches the cigarette and fingers, increasing the possibility that the virus enters the smoker's mouth and respiratory tract. Also, toxic substances inhaled through smoking damage cardiovascular, lung, and immune functions, increasing the likelihood of COVID-19 infection.

People with underlying diseases may experience worsened symptoms and higher mortality risk if infected with COVID-19. In fact, as of July last year, 37.6% of COVID-19 patients in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had one or more underlying conditions, and 78.3% of ICU admissions were patients with underlying diseases.

Furthermore, overseas research shows that nicotine contained in cigarettes increases the 'ACE2' receptors necessary for COVID-19 to penetrate the human body, making smokers more susceptible to COVID-19 infection.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

While citizens' complaints about street smoking continue, smokers acknowledge such criticism but express dissatisfaction, citing the abundance of non-smoking zones.

A smoker in his 50s said, "First of all, many buildings including workplaces are entirely non-smoking, and recently, due to COVID-19, all smoking booths have been closed, so there is nowhere to smoke." He added, "Still, I think smoking on the street like this is a bit much. I feel sorry about it."

The Jung-gu Office, which has the authority to enforce regulations, conducts daily inspections but admits that comprehensive enforcement is realistically difficult. A Jung-gu Office official said, "We periodically enforce regulations on smokers. However, it is difficult to focus enforcement on just one specific location." He added, "Nevertheless, as citizens' discomfort continues and during the COVID-19 outbreak phase, we will strengthen enforcement to ensure there are no inconveniences."

The quarantine authorities have recommended refraining from smoking during the COVID-19 situation. Kwon Jun-wook, the 2nd Deputy Director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, explained the link between smoking and COVID-19: "It has already been investigated that a large amount of COVID-19 virus is released when exhaling smoke." He added, "Secondhand smoke itself is a risky behavior for COVID-19 transmission."

Regarding street smoking and similar situations, he emphasized, "Appropriate measures are needed for smoking locations in this context." He also stated, "Smokers are classified as a high-risk group for COVID-19, so during the COVID-19 epidemic, the quarantine authorities strongly emphasize smoking cessation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.