TEMPO.CO, Depok - The Depok government is determined to provide guidance to seven non-smoking areas (KTR) in the city. The head of the city’s public health service unit, Zakiah, said the implementation of smoke-free areas is the government's effort to protect the public from cigarette smoke and tobacco advertisements.

“It’s included in the tobacco and death control strategy recommended by the World Health Organization or WHO,” said Zakiah on Friday, March 24.

The regional government has established seven KTR, namely health service facilities, schools or places of teaching and learning, children’s playgrounds, places of worship, public transportation, offices, and public places.

Zakiah explained that this is executed in order to ensure the Regional Regulation (Perda) No. 2 of 2020 concerning amendments to Regional Regulation No. 3 of 2014 on non-smoking areas is adopted well.

Based on the records, there are already 1,142 smoke-free zones that have been managed by the Depok Health Agency. They are 832 places of worship, 195 educational facilities, 60 offices, 31 children's playgrounds, 11 public transportation, eight tourist attractions, and five markets.

“The goal is to reduce morbidity and mortality caused by smoking. By changing people's habits to live healthier, creating healthier and cleaner air because it is free from cigarette smoke,” she explained.

Zakiah also said the guidance is also driven by WHO’s prediction that diseases caused by smoking would be a major public health problem on a global scale, “because the number of smokers continues to increase.”

RICKY JULIANSYAH

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