Effectiveness of believability of pictorial warning labels on cigarettes for smoking prevention and cessation among Korean adolescents

This study aimed to examine the relationship between the believability and both smoking initiation and cessation among Korean adolescents. The study analyzed data from 308 Korean adolescents aged 18 or younger who reported current use of tobacco products. Participants were divided into three groups: all smokers, conventional cigarette users, and e-cigarette users. Multiple regression and logistic regression analysis were used to examine associations between believability and smoking initiation and cessation. Among all adolescents, higher levels of believability were significantly associated with a later age of smoking initiation and greater likelihood of smoking cessation. For conventional cigarette users, believability significantly predicted smoking cessation, but not initiation age. Believability of pictorial warning labels plays a meaningful role in promoting smoking cessation among adolescents, particularly those using conventional cigarettes. However, its effect on preventing smoking initiation appears limited. These findings support the need for differentiated tobacco control strategies based on product type and user characteristics. These findings underscore the importance of product-specific and psychologically informed interventions for preventing and reducing adolescent smoking.