Gwangju City Launches Health Practice Campaign for 'Alcohol Harm Prevention Month'

Gwangju City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Bang Se-hwan) announced on the 19th that it held a healthy lifestyle practice campaign at Gwangju Station Square on the 18th, under the slogan "I did not pour alcohol. I follow my thoughts," to mark November as Alcohol Harm Prevention Month.

Gwangju City held a healthy lifestyle practice campaign at Gwangju Station Square on the 18th under the slogan "I did not pour the alcohol. I follow my own thoughts." Photo by Gyeonggi Gwangju City

This campaign was organized to raise awareness of the dangers of drinking, encourage moderation, and promote the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases as well as smoking cessation. Since 2008, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Institute have designated November as "Alcohol Harm Prevention Month" to spread a sound culture of moderate drinking ahead of the year-end and New Year holidays, when alcohol-related incidents and accidents increase.

Through the campaign, the city encouraged moderation by distributing moderation cups and engaged citizens with interactive programs such as an OX quiz providing accurate information about alcohol and its harms, and a cup stacking game where participants wear drinking goggles to experience a simulated drinking situation.

Additionally, health promotion projects were promoted simultaneously, including the distribution of leaflets for the prevention of severe cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke, which increase sharply in winter, as well as smoking control and smoking cessation encouragement around Gwangju Station.

A Gwangju City official stated, "The fact that drunk driving traffic accidents increase by more than 10% on average during the year-end season, when gatherings are frequent, is a very serious problem," adding, "We will work harder to widely raise awareness among Gwangju citizens about the seriousness of drinking, emphasize the importance of moderation, and create a culture of practicing a healthy lifestyle."