E-Cigarette Tax Starts in January 2024; Here's Risk of Vaping
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3 January 2024 11:09 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government decided to impose a tax on electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes starting January 1, 2024, the Finance Ministry’s spokesperson Deni Surjantoro confirmed on Saturday, December 30, 2023.
Deni explained that the tax is aimed at curbing vaping and was stipulated in the Finance Minister’s Regulation (PMK) No. 143/PMK/2023 on e-cigarettes, based on Law No. 1 of 2022 concerning financial relations between the central and regional governments, or the HKPD Law.
Quoting from the ministry’s website jdih.kemenkeu.go.id, the tax on cigarettes, including electronic cigarettes, will be 10 percent of the prevailing excise rate.
Health risks of e-cigarettes
Electronic cigarettes, also known as vapes, are designed for smoking by converting liquid into vapor, unlike conventional cigarettes that use tobacco leaves.
The liquid used in electronic cigarettes is called e-liquids, which may contain nicotine and other harmful chemicals. E-cigarettes come in various shapes and sizes and are usually equipped with batteries, heating elements, and containers for e-liquids. They come in various forms, including pipes, pens, traditional cigarettes, cigars, and others.
Although some parties argue that e-cigarettes are safer, the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) strictly prohibits their use as their ingredients are almost the same as regular cigarettes.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also notes that vaping could increase the risk of heart disease and lung disease. Additionally, e-cigarettes could also expose people around users, including non-smokers, to nicotine and other dangerous chemicals.
Other possible risks associated with e-cigarette use include explosions and fires, nicotine addiction, impaired brain development in children and adolescents, toxic impacts on fetal development during pregnancy, and lung damage from hazardous substances in e-cigarette vapor.
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