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Govt urged to ratify FCTC immediately
Experts say the Indonesian government is failing to protect people from the dangers of tobacco, as indicated by the slow progress in the ratification of the UN Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (UNFCTC), which aims to prevent the tobacco industry from targeting children
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xperts say the Indonesian government is failing to protect people from the dangers of tobacco, as indicated by the slow progress in the ratification of the UN Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (UNFCTC), which aims to prevent the tobacco industry from targeting children.
The government's biased policy, according to these experts, could also be seen from statements issued by legislative members who kept delaying the issuance of legislation in an attempt to protect the interests of the tobacco industry.
"The cigarette industry knows that its products are lethal, but the government is essentially protected them at the cost of future generations," Kartono Muhammad of the Indonesia Tobacco Control Network (ICTN) said in a release made available to The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
He said the government had taken tough action in protecting people from the harmful effects of alcohol and other unsafe products, such as formalin-tainted noodles.
"But cigarettes, which have been proven to be lethal for their consumers, are still freely distributed. This means President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his Cabinet are allowing the tobacco industry, which is poisoning our children, to keep their businesses running," Kartono said.
Data shows there are 60 million smokers in Indonesia, while a further 3.9 million children aged between 10 and 14 become smokers every year.
"Cigarette smoking kills you". This health warning is now required on all advertisements used to market and sell cigarettes.
This warning highlights acknowledgment by the tobacco industry that its products are dangerous for consumers, another expert has said.
"This is planned murder; first degree murder," said Todung Mulya Lubis, a legal expert. "This is also a legalized crime; a crime that is protected by the state as the government is siding with the tobacco industry," he went on.
Todung said ratifying the FCTC, which has been ratified and acceded to by 178 countries, was a must for Indonesia.
"Do we believe that this convention, which has been agreed upon by hundreds of countries, will only result in losses for our country? Even Ethiopia has ratified the FCTC, so what are we still waiting for?" he said. (ebf)
