Comment: Tobacco control

May 30, p. 7

The recent news on a possible halt to ongoing discussions on a draft presidential decree on tobacco controls have certainly raised serious concerns among the health community in this country.

With statistics showing a 26 percent growth in tobacco consumption over the past 15 years, placing Indonesia among the world’s top three tobacco consumers, pressure is mounting for the government to toughen regulations concerning the prevention of tobacco-related diseases, particularly cancer and cardiovascular and lung diseases, which kill more than 200,000 citizens every year. (By Alita Damar, Jakarta)

Your comments:

It is not that difficult and you don’t have to resort to expensive chemistry.

Ban advertising tobacco products. Ban smoking in all work places — starting with government offices. Ban tobacco sponsorship of sports and concerts. Tax it. Publicly display the effects of smoking: cancer, social effects, costs to health and others, etc.

Ban the fancy packaging and place pictures of smoking-related diseases on cigarette packages. These are the measures adopted in Australia. Smoking rates have plummeted.

It would help if shaming littering was also a feature of Indonesian society. Smokers here seem to think that lobbing still-lit butts is perfectly acceptable behavior.

John
Makassar