T

he Health Ministry said two laws on the press and broadcasting restricted a total ban on cigarette advertising in a tobacco consumption regulation being that is currently drafted.

Budi Sampurna, the Health Ministry’s law and organization bureau chief, said on Friday that the 1999 Law on the Press and the 2002 Law on Broadcasting allowed cigarette manufacturers to advertise their products under certain conditions.

“In their commercials, for example, they are not allowed to openly show the physical appearance of cigarettes,” he said in a conference ahead of World No Tobacco Day on May 31.

The government is drafting a regulation on consumption guidelines for tobacco products as mandated by the 2009 Law on Health that classifies tobacco as an addictive substance.

The draft rule will include cigarette advertisement controls.

Article 28 of the draft regulation says electronic media — both television and radio — can still air cigarette and tobacco commercials between 9:30 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.

Budi said controls on cigarette commercials could still help reduce the number of smokers, even if it was not a total ban.

“We will narrow the room for cigarette ads by applying tighter rules, not only in advertising but also sponsorships,” he said, referring to a plan to add articles that would forbid cigarette manufacturers from publishing sponsorships and corporate social responsibility activities in mass media.

“We will also ask local administrations to tighten control on the use of billboards to advertise cigarettes and tobacco products,” said Budi.

Studies show that smoking may lead to health problems, since tobacco smoke has more than 4,000 toxic chemicals such as nicotine, which causes addiction, and 43 carcinogenic substances. The health risks associated with cigarettes are many, including heart failure, impotence and emphysema, but few people fully understand all of the dangers.

Indonesia is home to one of the five largest populations of smokers.

According to National Social and Economic Survey (Susenas) data, the number of smokers in Indonesia reached 80 million in 2010, up from 34 million in 1995.

The survey also revealed that smoking among young men aged 15 to 19 years old increased to 38 percent from 17 percent in that period.

In 2006, the Global Youth Tobacco Survey in Indonesia reported that six out of 10 surveyed students were exposed to cigarette smoke at home. About 37 percent of the surveyed students were accustomed to smoke, and three out of 10 said they first smoked when they were under 10 years old.

“Children who are exposed to cigarette smoke will suffer from slower growth of their lungs and be prone to bronchitis and other diseases such as perspiration infection, ear infection and asthma,” said Azimal, the ministry’s non-infectious disease control director.

“We need tighter control on tobacco and cigarettes to prevent health risks among children caused by intense exposure to cigarette smoke.”

The restriction on tobacco consumption has encountered strong opposition from tobacco farmers, who say that it would reduce tobacco production and affect their way of life.