The Discomforting Truth Behind North Korea’s Smoking Epidemic......

Disclaimer: This video examines smoking solely as a cultural and political phenomenon. Nothing presented here should be interpreted as encouragement or approval of smoking. Tobacco use is harmful and addictive. If you do not smoke, keep it that way. If you do smoke, please consider quitting. Description: In this episode, we explore the strange and smoky universe of North Korea, a country where cigarettes function as a social lubricant, political currency, bribe, ration, morale booster, and occasionally… a hobby. From the Kim family’s three-generation tradition of chain-smoking through history, to soldiers trading their rations for a single puff, to entire provinces operating on a cigarette-based shadow economy, the DPRK offers a portrait of a society held together by bureaucracy, nicotine, and quiet desperation. OP Song: The Song of General Kim Jong-il ED Song: Song of Coast Artillery 00:00 Intro 02:01 A Family Legacy 11:31 Cigarettes as Social Currency 23:26 Brands and Prestige 30:18 Anti-Smoking Campaigns 41:09 Final thoughts