"Please Help So My Throat Doesn't Hurt" An Appeal from an Elementary School Student

Elementary Student's Indoor Smoking Ban Appeal Gains Attention
"Waking Up at Dawn Because of Cigarette Smoke"

An elementary school student has drawn attention by posting a plea, saying they are suffering from indoor smoking by a neighbor. The student questioned why adults do not consider their neighbors when they themselves are scolded to be careful about noise between floors.

On the 26th, a photo capturing the 'Elementary Student's Plea Regarding Indoor Smoking in an Apartment' was posted on the internet community BobaeDream's Instagram. The elementary student wrote down their painful feelings word by word.

Photo by BobaeDream Instagram

The student wrote, “My mom and dad scold me saying ‘Don’t run, don’t drag chairs, wear indoor shoes’ because they worry about bothering the neighbors, but our neighbors torment me with cigarette smoke from early morning until late at night,” adding, “What’s unfair is that I get scolded by my parents because of these neighbors.” The words “cigarette smoke” were written in red and even highlighted with a fluorescent marker.

They continued, “Now I’m getting used to waking up early in the morning. Please help me so that my head and throat don’t hurt.”

It is obvious that smoking inside a unit causes harm to neighbors through bathroom vents or windows, but there are no practical regulatory measures. Article 20, Paragraph 2 of the Apartment Housing Management Act only states that ‘Residents of apartment units should make efforts to avoid causing harm to other residents through smoking inside balconies, bathrooms, etc.’

Not only smoking inside units but also restrictions on smoking in shared living spaces are difficult to enforce. If more than half of the apartment residents agree, they can autonomously designate no-smoking zones in four areas: stairs, hallways, elevators, and underground parking lots, but the prevailing opinion is that this is ineffective. Since smoking enforcement requires on-site detection, by the time authorities arrive after a report, the smoking has usually stopped, making enforcement practically impossible. Ultimately, the situation relies solely on voluntary cooperation among residents.

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