TEMPO.CO, JYogyakarta - Health Ministry and Tobacco Control Suppor Center of the Indonesian Public Health Association (IAKMI) holds the Indonesian Conference on Tobacco or Health on November 25-27, 2016, at Sheraton Mustika Hotel Ballroom, Yogyakarta. “The conference is an annual scientific forum to discuss all aspects of tobacco consumption control,” the event organizing committee deputy chair Theresia Sandra said on Friday, November 27, 2016.
This term, Sandra said, the conference adopts the theme of ‘Suarakan Kebenaran Selamatkan Generasi Bangsa’ (Voice the Truth, Save the Next Generation). According to her, tobacco firms have actually conducted studies on the effects of tobacco on health. Yet, “they have been hiding the truth for profits and market share.”
Based on the theme, the event organizing committee has invited hundreds of youths to join the conference. “They will voice the truth on the malice of tobacco industry,” she said.
In addition, current young people greatly put their concern on tobacco control. “It will become a barometer of the nation to be more committed to finding a way to resolve tobacco epidemic.”
Sandra said that she expects to hear new ideas in the event through some research that will help stakeholders to set up regulation on tobacco control.
According to the book Fakta Tembakau Indonesia (Facts of Indonesian Tobacco), Indonesia netted Rp103.57 trillion in tobacco tax revenue in 2013. The amount is only one-third of the economic cost of tobacco used in the same year, i.e. Rp378.75 trillion.
ISTIQOMATUL HAYATI
