RI chokes as pact anti-smoking becomes law<\/p>\n
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The global anti-smoking pact became law on Sunday legally binding
\nthe countries that ratified it. Cigarette-friendly Indonesia,
\nmeanwhile, coughed embarrassedly and stood at the back of the
\nroom.<\/p>\n
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) endorsed by
\nthe member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) aims to
\ncurb the tobacco trade globally.<\/p>\n
It has been ratified by 57 countries, which were given three
\nyears to slap strong health warnings on tobacco packages, and
\nfive years to ban all tobacco advertisements, promotion and
\nsponsorship.<\/p>\n
The treaty, the first in the world regarding international
\npublic health, also recommends tax increases on tobacco products,
\ncrackdowns on smuggling, and reducing exposure to second-hand
\nsmoke.<\/p>\n
It is hoped the agreement will help reduce the devastating
\neconomic and health impacts of tobacco consumption, which is the
\nsecond leading cause of preventable deaths globally after
\nhypertension, killing some 4.9 million people a year.<\/p>\n
Smoker-friendly Indonesia, however, did not sign the pact
\nalthough more than 400,000 people are known to have died in 2001
\ndue to smoking-related diseases, including lung cancer, chronic
\nobstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and strokes. Estimates are
\nhazy about total smoking related deaths in the country but
\nexperts say they are likely to be in the millions.<\/p>\n
Studies have shown that many smokers globally are children and
\nteenagers, more than a third of which continue to smoke in adult
\nyears and die prematurely of diseases.<\/p>\n
However, anti-tobacco campaigns in Indonesia have always run
\nup against money -- tobacco excise charges contribute a great
\ndeal to state revenues -- some Rp 27.03 trillion in 2003 before
\ntax.<\/p>\n
In June last year, former minister of industry and trade Rini
\nMS Soewandi urged the government to postpone the FCTC
\nratification as it could harm the country's tobacco industry,
\nwhich was a major employer.<\/p>\n
However, health experts and anti-smoking activists argue that
\nthe cost of the health problems caused by smoking far outweigh
\nthe benefits the industry brings, and costs the government twice
\nas much as the revenues generated from tobacco taxes.<\/p>\n
Increasing tobacco tax would bring in more revenue that could
\nbe use to fund public health programs, they said.<\/p>\n
Tjandra Yoga Aditama, a pulmonologist and anti-smoking
\nactivist, said that FCTC ratification would be the ideal way to
\nimpose sanctions on violators.<\/p>\n
\"The deadline for ratification expired last year but we could
\nstill become a party to the convention (by legislation),\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Tjandra said the recent decision of the Jakarta administration
\nto pass a bylaw on air pollution banning cigarette smoking in
\npublic places was a good example of an anti-smoking campaign.<\/p>\n
\"This step should be followed by other (local)
\nadministrations. The government should adopt the key requirements
\nof the FCTC into its legislation as well,\" he said.<\/p>\n
These include increasing tobacco taxes; enacting comprehensive
\nbans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; placing
\nrotating health warnings on tobacco packaging that cover at least
\n30 percent of the display area; banning the use of misleading and
\ndeceptive terms such as \"light\" and \"mild\"; and protecting
\ncitizens from exposure to tobacco smoke in workplaces, public
\nvehicles and enclosed areas.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-chokes-as-pact-anti-smoking-becomes-law-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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