Eight out of 10 electronic cigarette users also regularly enjoy traditional smoke, raising concerns about heavier nicotine addiction among Koreans, a study found on Thursday.

According to the study commissioned by the health ministry, 574 people out of 1,530 smokers use heat-not-burn or e-cigarettes, and 80.6 percent of them use both e-cigarettes and regular tobaccos at the same time.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare released data on change in tobacco use pattern of smokers since the release of e-cigarettes in June 2017, the first official government data following a survey released by Liberty Korea Party lawmaker Kim Seung-hee.

The health ministry commissioned the study to a research team led by Cho Hong-joon, a medical professor at Ulsan University, who surveyed 7,000 people aged between 20 and 69 from May to November in 2018

Among the e-cig users, 52.8 percent said they smoke two types of cigarettes, mostly regular cigarettes and heat-not-burn e-cigs, and 33.8 percent said they use three types. The study can serve as evidence showing e-cigs do nothing to help smokers quit smoking, rather increasing nicotine addiction over time.

The Korean government announced a set of measures in May to lower the smoking rate significantly over the next three years. It will introduce tougher regulations for all types of cigarettes and related electronic devices after revising the health promotion law in 2020.

By Seo Jin-woo and Choi Mira

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