Smoking is one of the most preventable causes of ill health. Lung cancer and heart disease are the top killers in Indonesia, but none of our former presidents have ever emphasized the real war against tobacco companies.

The fact is, tobacco companies are controlling our government.

From an economic perspective, our government has always stressed the importance of tobacco industries in supporting our local workers. The government receives approximately Rp 32 trillion (US$2.9 trillion) per annum from the tobacco industry, but at the same time it must spend Rp 120 trillion on medical care for patients with smoking related diseases.

The Indonesian government has made a real mistake in promoting smoking to its citizens by allowing tobacco companies to advertise on television.

Conversely, there needs to be good advertisements promoting quitting smoking through the Indonesian media, especially on television. Persuasive slogans could be used to influence smokers to cut down on their habit. Here are several suggestions:

"There is a new name for those who smoke: Stupid!"

"Smoking is a habit for losers."

"Stop smoking now, or your child will be weak!"

Since our government hasn't (or won't) sign the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), sporadic creative campaigns can still be conducted in public spaces.

Only through continual campaigning can we reduce the number of smokers.

In 1995, Indonesia produced some 199.45 billion cigarettes. In 2005, production increased to 235.5 billion.

Tobacco consumption among children and teenagers is higher in Indonesia than anywhere else in the world. A prosperous Indonesia can only be achieved if we have healthy citizens.

HENRI and ELFIA LOIS

Jakarta

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