TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama said the Jakarta administration had barred the placement of outdoor advertisements of cigarettes and tobacco products as of the beginning of 2015. He said the prohibition was aimed protecting the capital’s children from the hazardous consequences of smoking.

“We don’t want many cigarette advertisements in Jakarta,” Ahok said at the City Hall on Thursday, January 22, 2015.

Ahok said the capital’s figure of dependency toward cigarettes had reached an alarming level: 43 percent of the total 2,000 respondents of students aged 15-20 admitted to having smoked. Of the figure, 63 percent comprise male students. He added the number of babies infected with lung diseases—attributable to their mothers being passive smokers—had also continued to climb.

The prohibition is mentioned in the Gubernatorial Regulation No. 1 Year 2015 on Prohibition on Outdoor Advertisements of Cigarettes and Tobacco Products. Ahok inked the regulation on January 7, 2015 and it took effect beginning January 13, 2015.

Ahok explained advertisers who had secured permits prior to the issuance of the regulation could continue their advertisements until their permits expire. He added, however, proposals to extend the permits would be turned down.

Ahok said he did not fret about the possible protests from the cigarette business community. “People will still look for cigarettes without their advertisements. So we are banning the ads,” Ahok said.

LINDA HAIRANI