C

igarette companies are preparing for the implementation of a government regulation that restricts tobacco advertisements and requires graphic warnings on cigarette packets.

The tobacco control regulation was issued by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in December last year in an attempt to reduce the country's addiction to tobacco. It is set to take effect in June next year.

Under the regulation, cigarette brands are not allowed to place ads on the front pages of publications and are not allowed to advertise next to food and beverage adverts. In addition, tobacco ads may only be aired between 9:30 p.m. and 5 a.m. on television.

Cigarette manufacturers were given an 18-month deadline to comply with the obligation to use 40 percent of cigarette packaging for text and pictorial warnings about the dangers of smoking.

Other provisions include a ban on cigarette-makers using misleading promotional terms, including 'Light', 'Mild', 'Low tar', 'Slim', 'Special' and 'Premium'.

Sampoerna regulatory affairs head Elvira Lianita said the cigarette manufacturer had no problem in complying with the regulation, saying it was a step toward addressing many of the understandable public health concerns regarding the sale and marketing of tobacco in the country.

'We began to adjust our cigarette advertising, sponsorship and promotional activity on Dec. 24, in accordance with the regulation, in which we include an 18+ sign and new health warning consisting of a pictorial and textual health warning,' Elvira told The Jakarta Post recently. 'The implementation of these provisions on our cigarette advertising, sponsorship and promotional activity can be seen publicly on our billboards and TV commercials,' she continued.

She added that Sampoerna, one of the country's largest tobacco companies, was in the process of preparing to implement the new pictorial and textual health warnings on cigarette packs as stipulated by Government Regulation No. 109/2012.

'This will be implemented in accordance with the adjustment period granted by the government, which is by June 24, 2014,' Elvira said.

Many deemed the 18-month deadline too long for the industry to prepare pictorial warnings and for the tougher restriction on advertising.

Neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka introduced pictorial warnings on cigarette packs long ago, with a percentage of at least 50 percent of the packaging and less than a year for companies to adjust.

Australia introduced last year plain cigarette packets in a bid to reduce the number of smokers in the country. According to Health Ministry promotions head Lily Sulistyowati, the ministry will cooperate with the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) in monitoring the implementation of new regulation.

She said that BPOM Regulation No. 41/2013 stipulated that cigarette manufacturers that failed to comply with the regulation would face administrative sanctions, from written warnings to permit revocation. 'The tobacco industry has no reason not to comply with the regulation, because they can easily export their products to Thailand, for instance, with pictorial warnings,' Lily told the Post on Friday.