TEMPO.CO, Jakarta -More than a third of Indonesians, or 36.3 percent to be precise, are considered to be an active smoker.
“Even 20 percent of teenagers in the group age of 13-15 are active smokers,” Health Minister Nila Moeloek said during the Indonesian Conference on Tobacco or Health in Jakarta today.
Nila explained that the there is an increasing trend in the number of male teenagers. Last year’s report showed that the number of male teen smokers jumped by 58.8 percent.
“Smoking as a habit has killed at least 235,000 lives each year in Indonesia,” Nila revealed.
Nila pointed out that the World Health Organization (WHO) has ranked Indonesia as the world’s third largest cigarette market after China and India. Smoking prevalence among adult males in Indonesia is even considered as the highest in the world.
Nila argues that efforts to prevent youth smokers must involve the Woman Development and Child Protection Ministry, the Chief Presidential Staff Office, and the Ministry of Finance.
Nila further explained that her institution has introduced a number of tobacco control programs, such as no smoking areas and free of charge smoke-quitting clinics.
“Indonesia needs healthy and productive generations when the country is having a demographical bonus,” Minister Nila added.
ISTIQOMATUL HAYATI