Farmers Call for Strict Tobacco Control

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A group that consists of 40 tobacco farmers, whom most have shifted away from tobacco-plantation, urged the Indonesian government to create a comprehensive tobacco control policy over health concerns. 

The farmers said that the health risk caused by smoking and activities related to it kills more than 200 thousand people in Indonesia and revealed that it has affected family members of the tobacco farmers, which in most cases sees children illegally employed at the farms.  

“We understand that tobacco consumption through smoking risks people’s rights to live a healthy life. This especially concerns groups such as children, teenagers, and people with low-income,” said Istanto, chairman of the multicultural farmers’ forum on Tuesday, November 19.

Istanto’s statement was the official declaration of the Indonesian multicultural farmers’ meet that was held in Magelang yesterday. 

The forum urged the government to create policies that promote a healthy lifestyle that is smoking free, free of smoking ads, and other forms of promotions to protect the younger generation. 

“One of the ways to achieve that goal is by supporting the government’s plan to increase the prices of cigarettes due to the increase in tax. “If taxes go up, it will automatically increase its prices so children would not be able to buy them.”

For two days, the multicultural farmers from Central Java, East Java, and West Nusa Tenggara, gathered in Magelang.  They urge the government to push for the diversification of agricultural commodities and help elevate the welfare of farmers. 

ISTIQOMATUL HAYATI