search for



KCI

Crossref

Cross mark

Cited-by

Fundref

TDM

View (56) Download (57) CrossRef (1)
“This is Not Smoking”: A Phenomenological Study on the Experiences of Flavored Tobacco Use Among Women in Their 20s
J Korean Soc Res Nicotine Tob 2024; 15(4): 135-148
Published online December 30, 2024
© 2024 The Korean Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.

Kwanwook Kim*

College of Integrated Global Studies, Cultural Anthropology, Duksung Women’s University, Seoul, Korea
Correspondence to: *김관욱
덕성여자대학교 글로벌융합대학 문화인류학과
E-mail: anthrodockim@duksung.ac.kr
Received December 15, 2024; Revised December 19, 2024; Accepted December 19, 2024.
This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, dis-tribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
 Abstract
Background: The use of flavored tobacco is increasing among women in their 20s in South Korea, fueled by innovative products such as liquid-based e-cigarettes and capsule cigarettes. This trend poses significant challenges to public health and smoking cessation efforts.
Methods: This phenomenological study examined flavored tobacco use among eight women in their 20s through in-depth interviews conducted from May to June 2022. Participants were recruited using snowball sampling, and data were analyzed with Nvivo software to identify shared themes.
Results: The study identified four key findings. First, the popularity of flavored tobacco was driven by products like Bubblemon and Caliburn, which emphasized sweet and menthol flavors to compensate for nicotine deficiencies, shaping user preferences. Second, a taste-focused preference emerged, prioritizing sweetness, menthol, and fruity flavors for a personalized sensory experience. Third, smoking culture evolved, with participants describing the use of flavored liquids as the “inhalation of liquids” and deriving visual satisfaction from vapor aesthetics, referred to as the “exhalation of smoke.” Lastly, barriers to smoking cessation included extensive marketing, misinformation about health risks, and firsthand experience as tobacco vendors.
Conclusion: Young adult women are shifting from nicotine-centric smoking to a culture focused on “taste” and “visual satisfaction.” Smoking cessation policies must adapt by addressing these new perceptions through education and support programs while reinforcing regulations on flavored tobacco marketing and sales. This shift highlights the need to understand the evolving motivations behind flavored tobacco use.
Keywords : Flavored tobacco; Young adult women; Taste; Smoking culture; Phenomenological study
References
  1. WHO [Internet]. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2030. 2024 [cited 2024 Dec 1].
  2. Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. (2022). 2022 National Health Statistics: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 9th Edition, 1st Year. Cheongju: Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
  3. Kim S, Byun G, Jo G, et al. (2022). Gender and tobacco epidemic in South Korea: implications from age-period-cohort analysis and the DPSEEA framework. BMJ Open. 12, e058903.
    Pubmed KoreaMed CrossRef
  4. Kim J, Lee S, Kimm H, et al. (2021). Heated tobacco product use and its relationship to quitting combustible cigarettes in Korean adults. PLoS ONE, 16, e0251243.
    Pubmed KoreaMed CrossRef
  5. Kim K, Kimm H. Qualitative Study on Age and Sex Differences in the Experience of Using Flavored Tobacco. Journal of the Korean Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. 2023; 14(4): 142-53.
    CrossRef
  6. Kimm H, Kim K, Yu H, et al. Current Status of Flavored Tobacco Products Use. Public Health Weekly Report. 2023; 16(7): 185-99.
  7. Kimm H, Jeon J, Kim J, et al. Factors Associated with Use of Menthol Cigarettes among Current Smokers in Korean University Students and Male Workers. Journal of the Korean Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. 2016;7(2):74-83.
    CrossRef
  8. Giovino GA, Sidney S, Gfroerer JC, O'Malley PM, Allen JA, Richter PA, Cummings KM. Epidemiology of menthol cigarette use. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2004; 6(Suppl_1): S67-S81.
    Pubmed CrossRef
  9. Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. (2023). 2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Cheongju: Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Retrieved from https://www.kdca.go.kr/board/board.es?act=view&bid=0015&list_no=726622&mid=a20501010000
  10. Lee D, Lee K, Lee A, et al. Factors related to failure of quitting smoking among Korean women using national smoking cessation service. Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion. 2022; 39(2): 65-74.
    CrossRef
  11. Park A, Choi J, Kim H. Smoking behavior characteristics of female smokers and motivational strategies for participation in smoking cessation programs. Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion. 2020; 37(2): 29-42.
    CrossRef
  12. Jackson SE, Brown J, Shahab L, & West R. (2020). Perceived non-smoking norms and motivation to stop smoking, quit attempts, and cessation: A cross-sectional study in England. Scientific Reports. 10(1), 10487.
    Pubmed KoreaMed CrossRef
  13. Kim K, Kim J, Cho H. (2020). Gendered factors for heated tobacco product use: Focus group interviews with Korean adults. Tobacco Induced Diseases. 18, 43.
    Pubmed KoreaMed CrossRef
  14. Jeong J., Jeon E., Lee J, et al. A phenomenological study on smoking experience among female college students. Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion. 2010; 27(3): 1-12.
  15. Toombs, S. K. (1993). The meaning of illness: A phenomenological account of the different perspectives of physician and patient. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
  16. van Manen, M. (1990). Researching lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy. London, Ontario: The Althouse Press.
  17. Parker C, Scott S, & Geddes A. (2019). Snowball sampling. SAGE Research Methods Foundations.
  18. Jackson K, Bazeley P, and Bazeley P. Qualitative Data Analysis with NVivo. London: Sage, 2019.
  19. Saldaña J. The coding manual for qualitative researchers. London: Sage, 2021.
  20. Guba EG & Lincoln YS. (1989). Fourth generation evaluation. Sage.
  21. Shin K. Criteria for evaluating qualitative research. Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing. 1996; 26(2): 497-506.
    CrossRef
  22. Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). (2024, November 25). Tobacco statistics 2023. Official Statistics of Finland, Tobacco Statistics. Retrieved from https://thl.fi
  23. Kim J, Lee J, Cho H. Gender-based socioeconomic inequality of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products in Korea. Journal of the Korean Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. 2024; 15(3): 96-106.
    CrossRef
  24. Villanti AC, Collins LK, Niaura RS, Gagosian SY, Abrams DB. Menthol cigarettes and the public health standard: a systematic review. BMC public health. 2017 ;17: 1-13.
    Pubmed KoreaMed CrossRef
  25. Struik LL, Baskerville NB, & Hammond D. (2023). Vaping-specific nicotine dependence across days among a national sample of U.S. young adults. Nicotine & Tobacco Research.
  26. Soule EK, Lopez AA, Guy MC, & Cobb CO. (2021). Characterizing symptoms of e-cigarette dependence: A qualitative study of young adults. BMC Public Health, 21, 10945.
    Pubmed KoreaMed CrossRef