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Jakarta moves to take down cigarette ads in latest tobacco control campaign
As part of the Jakarta administration's 'smoke-free Jakarta' campaign, Satpol PP officials are beginning to conduct inspections to enforce the new cigarette display ban, with sanctions also being drafted.
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he Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) has begun taking down cigarette advertisements across the capital city following a new regulation signed by Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan calling on building managers against displaying cigarette advertisements and products in their establishments.
Since Sept. 13, Satpol PP officers across the capital have gone on unannounced inspections to a number of minimarkets and shopping centers around the city to enforce the new regulation.
Head of East Jakarta Satpol PP Budhy Novian said his team had so far removed 22 cigarette billboards from public displays in East Jakarta since it started its series of inspections, which is set to end next week.
“[The inspections] will be carried out for two weeks starting Sept. 13. We plan to comb all sub-districts in East Jakarta,” said Budhy on Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com.
Head of Central Jakarta Satpol PP Bernard Tambunan said his team had also removed cigarette advertisements, primarily stickers, in 45 different locations since they had started inspections in Central Jakarta.
“There are no longer any large banners. The majority of the cigarette adverts we have removed are mainly stickers, particularly those displayed in small kiosks,” said Bernard as quoted by kompas.com.
He added that the Satpol PP officers also used the inspections as an opportunity to inform the public about the new regulation.
In the regulation signed on June 9, Anies called on building managers across the city to against displaying indoor and outdoor cigarette advertisements. It also bans the display of cigarette products in stores.
The regulation also calls for building managers to install "no smoking" signs at every entrance and accessible location throughout their buildings, as well as ensuring that non-smoking areas are free of smokers.
The regulation, particularly its provision that bans the display of tobacco products in stores, is a step further from the previous rules issued in 2015, which banned outdoor cigarette advertisements in the city. Other cities, namely Bogor and Depok in West Java, have prohibited the display of cigarette products since 2016 and 2018, respectively.
Read also: Big tobacco spurns ad bans
While the new regulation did not outline any punishment for violators, the Jakarta administration said it was preparing additional rules that would punish the management of any establishments that failed to observe the ban.
“There will be rewards and punishments. We are arranging the mechanism,” said Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria on Sept. 17, as quoted by antaranews.com.
