Campaign targets teenage smoking

Campaign targets teenage smoking

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Kuta, Bali

The message is clear: teenagers should not smoke. That is the
slogan of a campaign launched by two multinational giants, a
convenience store franchise company and one of the leading
cigarette producers in the world.

The companies, PT Circle K Indonesia (PT CKI) and PT Philip
Morris Indonesia (PT PMI), launched the anti-smoking campaign
last year and have decided to extend their commitment to prevent
people under 18 years of age from smoking.

Derajat Kusuma Negara, public relations manager of PT PMI --
which produces cigarette brands Marlboro, Longbeach and L&M for
Indonesia -- said the companies were committed to restricting the
sale of cigarettes to teenagers.

"We believe that smoking is only for adults. Our motive is
clear: we don't want teenagers under 18 years to smoke," he told
reporters in Seminyak, Kuta.

PT CKI president director Nyoman Gunadi said since the program
was launched last March, it had received many positive responses
from the public.

"Teen smokers are a complex problem and we want to take part
in the efforts to prevent it," he said, adding that the program
has been implemented successfully in 65 Circle K outlets
throughout Indonesia.

The seriousness of their commitment in implementing the
program is evident in the company's training program for all CKI
staff across the country, which teaches them how to respond to
underage customers wanting to buy cigarettes -- turn them down
firmly, but politely.

"If necessary, they should ask customers who appear to be
underage for their identity cards," Gunadi said, adding that
staff were trained to make the request politely.

PT CKI has also implemented an internal policy against staff
found to have sold cigarettes to minors, he said.

PT CKI and PT PMI have also distributed stickers warning
against minors smoking to more than 280 cigarette vendors in 49
cities.

The anti-smoking campaign targeting minors is also being
conducted in cooperation with several leading supermarkets and
convenient stores, including PT Hero Group.

Derajat said PT PMI had conducted the campaign along with 100
Hero supermarket outlets last year. This year, more than 1,000
retailers are expected to take part in the campaign.

He said while the anti-smoking campaign targeting teenagers
had resulted in a decline in cigarettes sales, he was not
worried, as the adult market was still solid.

The campaign against teenage smoking is supported by the
Badung administration and the Balinese capital of Denpasar.

"The use of drugs among teenagers has much to do with picking
up smoking at an early age," said I Ketut Pastika Dana, head of
the National Unity and People's Welfare of Badung regency.

PT PMI supports about 100 campaigns in 90 countries to prevent
teenage smoking, focusing on public awareness and education and
drafting laws that ban cigarette sales to minors.