Seoul Student Smoking Rate Targeted at 5.5%... Smoking Cessation Counseling Call 'TokTok Challenge' Operated

One-on-One Matching with Licensed Counselors Specializing in Counseling Psychology

The above photo is not related to the article. / Photo by Yoon Dongju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The School Health Promotion Institute under the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced on the 6th that it will operate the Seoul-type 'TalkToc Challenge,' a student smoking cessation counseling phone program, in response to the prolonged COVID-19 situation.

Last May, the School Health Promotion Institute established the 'Student Smoking Cessation Counseling Phone Program' to temporarily provide non-face-to-face customized smoking cessation counseling services. Due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, it was decided to operate the one-on-one non-face-to-face smoking cessation counseling phone program, TalkToc Challenge.

The Seoul-type TalkToc Challenge is a smoking cessation motivation enhancement and practice program that signifies the best counseling through conversations between counselors and students. It complements the face-to-face group smoking cessation counseling programs. Professional counselors affiliated with the center, who majored in counseling psychology, are matched one-on-one with students, and the program consists of five stages: trust building, self-understanding, smoking cessation motivation induction, smoking cessation practice, and smoking cessation maintenance.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the student smoking rate is 5.7%, which is lower than the national average of 6.7%. The goal for this year is to enter 5.5%.