Amidst the ongoing discussions regarding the derivative regulations\nof Government Regulation Number 28 of 2024 concerning Health,\nsignificant concerns are emerging from stakeholders across the tobacco\necosystem, from upstream to downstream. Wisnu Brata of the Indonesian\nTobacco Farmers Association (APTI) issued a stern warning during the\nNational Halaqah: Reviewing Nicotine and Tar Limit Policies, organised\nby the Association for the Development of Pesantren and Society\n(P3M).<\/p>\n
This statement reflects deep-seated anxiety at the grassroots level,\nwhere the regulations currently being drafted by the Government are\nviewed as having the potential to sever the livelihoods of national\ntobacco and clove farmers. This dilemma was a primary focus of the\nforum. P3M emphasised that the forum was not intended to reject the\nnational health vision, but rather to seek a fair middle ground between\nprotecting public health and ensuring the economic sustainability of\nsmall-scale farmers. For millions of farmers, from the slopes of\nTemanggung to remote areas of West Nusa Tenggara, tobacco is not merely\na commodity but a vital instrument for survival in arid lands during\nlong droughts.<\/p>\n
The forum served as a platform to provide input on the derivative\nregulations of Government Regulation No.\u00a028 of 2024, which include the\nregulation of additives and the limitation of nicotine and tar levels.\nThis has met with massive opposition from affected stakeholders,\nreflecting a gap between policy design and field reality. P3M believes\nthat adopting policies that mimic European regulations without\nconsidering the adaptability of local varieties could trigger national\neconomic shocks due to unready infrastructure. This would not only hit\ntobacco farmers but also weaken the national clove-kretek industry,\nwhich absorbs nearly 140,000 tonnes of local cloves annually. The\ncollapse of this ecosystem is predicted to significantly increase\npoverty rates in production centres.<\/p>\n
While advocating for farmers, the forum also provided space for\nhealth perspectives. Representatives from the Coordinating Ministry for\nHuman Development and Cultural Affairs (Kemenko PMK) and the Ministry of\nHealth emphasised that strengthening national health resilience through\nmaximum nicotine and tar limits is a mandate of the Health Regulation to\nreduce the burden of non-communicable diseases. However, P3M maintains\nthat public health and farmer welfare should not be positioned as\nopposing forces.<\/p>\n
The forum also warned the government of the potential shift towards\nillegal products that do not adhere to standards, do not contribute to\nstate revenue, and may undermine the effectiveness of the control\nobjectives. When regulations for the legal industry become unrealistic\nfor local farmers and producers to implement, the resulting vacuum will\nbe filled by illegal products that evade excise taxes and oversight.<\/p>\n
In this context, a more proportional, phased, and domestic-based\npolicy approach is required. Experts and farmer representatives proposed\nseveral strategic policy instruments: 1) Phased Regulation, implementing\nlimits through a clear roadmap and adequate adaptation time; 2)\nRegulatory Transition Period, to provide sufficient time for farmers and\nbusinesses to adjust; and 3) Regulatory Sandbox, as a limited adjustment\nspace for the industry to move towards compliance gradually, minimising\nharmful impacts.<\/p>\n
P3M, which has supported tobacco farmers for over 25 years, asserted\nthat the economic sovereignty of farmers is essential to social welfare.\nThe recommendations from this forum will be submitted to the Government,\nspecifically the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and\nCultural Affairs, the Ministry of Health, and the BPOM (Indonesian FDA),\nas constructive input for the drafting of Health Law derivative\nregulations, ensuring the state protects both public health and the\nlivelihoods of its farmers.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nicotine-tar-regulations-require-accommodation-for-affected-stakeholders-1780909929", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }