Up to 600,000 Won for Quitting Smoking: Nowon District Offers Smoking Cessation Success Grants

First Nationwide Grant Program...
41.9% Success Rate at Six Months

On January 6, Nowon District in Seoul (District Mayor Oh Seungrok) announced that it is promoting a variety of smoking cessation initiatives, including the provision of smoking cessation success grants, to support the healthy lives of its residents.

Nowon District is promoting various smoking cessation projects, including smoking cessation success grants. The photo shows the award ceremony for the Minister of Health and Welfare Commendation in celebration of the 38th World No Tobacco Day. Provided by Nowon District.

The smoking cessation success grant program provides step-by-step incentive payments to residents who successfully quit smoking. A unique feature of this program is that it utilizes fines collected from smoking violations in designated non-smoking areas as its funding source. By reinvesting these enforcement revenues into public health, the district aims to enhance smokers’ motivation to quit and encourage long-term smoking cessation.

Among those who registered with the smoking cessation clinic last year, 691 out of 1,649 residents who reached the six-month mark successfully quit smoking, resulting in a success rate of 41.9%. This is 11 percentage points higher than the average six-month smoking cessation success rate of 30.9% among Seoul’s districts as of September last year.

The most distinctive feature of the district’s smoking cessation policy is its follow-up management system. Unlike most local governments, which only monitor participants for up to six months after registration with a smoking cessation clinic, Nowon District continues to verify smoking status for up to 36 months. Accordingly, residents who succeed in quitting receive 100,000 won after 12 months, 200,000 won after 24 months, and 300,000 won after 36 months, for a maximum total of 600,000 won in success grants, distributed in stages to help maintain long-term commitment to quitting.

Alongside the smoking cessation success grant, participants also receive professional and systematic support. Through personalized counseling with a consultant, participants review their smoking habits and receive lifestyle management advice. Ongoing in-person and phone consultations, as well as nicotine tests, are conducted to monitor their smoking cessation status. If needed, nicotine patches, gum, and other cessation aids are also provided.

As of December 31 last year, a total of 793 residents were eligible to receive the smoking cessation success grant, with total payments amounting to 138.2 million won. These policy achievements have also been recognized externally: last year, the district received the Encouragement Award in the Smoking Cessation Support Services category at the Seoul Smoking Cessation Project Performance Competition and was awarded the Minister of Health and Welfare Commendation in celebration of the 38th World No Tobacco Day. Notably, the Ministerial Commendation is awarded to only 10 public health centers nationwide, and Nowon District was honored as a leading institution in creating a smoke-free environment.

To further improve access to smoking cessation services, the district also operates three regional smoking cessation clinics (in Sanggye, Wolgye, and Gongneung), offers evening and Saturday clinics to meet demand, and provides mobile counseling services. This “Nowon-style smoking cessation model” has attracted benchmarking inquiries and visits from other local governments, earning recognition for its policy excellence.

District Mayor Oh Seungrok stated, “Quitting smoking requires not only individual willpower but also social support,” adding, “We will actively support more residents in achieving a healthy life by helping them succeed in quitting smoking through the Nowon-style smoking cessation success service.”