Indonesia to Ban Sales of Cigarettes in Sticks Starting in 2023

Jakarta, MINA – Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo ssued a decree regarding a ban on the sale of cigarettes in sticks. The ban is set forth in regulations that will be drafted in 2023.

This plan is contained in Presidential Decree Number 25 of 2022 concerning the 2023 Government Regulation Compilation Program which was carried out by Joko Widodo on December 23, 2022.

Quoting the Ministry of State Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia on Monda, Jokowi initiated the regulation to be written in article 116 of Law Number 36 of 2009 concerning Health.

“Prohibition of the sale of stick cigarettes,” wrote Jokowi’s statement.

There are seven points in the main content of the Draft Government Regulation concerning Amendments to Government Regulation Number 109 of 2012 concerning the Protection of Substances Containing Addictive Substances in Tobacco Products for Health.

Jokowi prohibits the sale of cigarettes, supervision of advertisements, promotions, sponsorship of tobacco products in broadcast media, indoor and outdoor media, and information technology media; and implementation of Non-Smoking Areas (KTR).

Jokowi will also regulate the size enlargement of health warning images and writings on certain cigarette packages.

Increase in Cigarette Prices Next Year

Previously, the government had also determined to increase tobacco excise rates (CHT) by an average of 10 percent in 2023.

The Ministry of Finance said the increase in cigarette excise tax would make cigarette prices unaffordable for the public.

Previously, there was a ban on the sale of cigarettes proposed by the Ministry of Health because there were still many novice smokers in Indonesia.

The increase in first-time smokers in 2020 alone has reached 240 percent in the last decade, according to the records of the Indonesian Association of Public Health Experts (IAKMI).

These teenage smokers tend to choose to buy cigarettes in bars rather than packs because the prices are more affordable. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)