Health Ministry Highlights Vape Promotion on Social Media, Sparking Teen Interest

The Ministry of Health has spotlighted the proliferation of electronic cigarette or vape promotions on digital platforms, deemed a key factor in rising usage, particularly among teenagers. Head of the Bureau of Communication and Public Services at the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, Aji Muhawarman, stated that promotions on social media and e-commerce platforms pose a major challenge in overseeing these products. “The massive promotion of electronic cigarettes on social media and e-commerce platforms is a challenge in controlling them,” Aji said in a written statement received and confirmed in Jakarta on Wednesday. He explained that broad exposure to advertisements in the digital space makes vape products easily accessible to the public, including young age groups that are the target market. According to him, promotional strategies highlighting a modern lifestyle and using attractive visuals help shape the perception that vapes are safe and acceptable products. To address this, in enforcing Government Regulation (GR) Number 28 of 2024, the Ministry of Health is strengthening coordination with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs to curb vape advertising exposure in the digital realm. These steps include disseminating regulations to platform providers and enforcement actions such as access disconnection or takedowns of violating advertising content. Meanwhile, Professor Dr. Faisal Yunus, Ph.D., Sp.P(K), a professor in the Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, views promotions targeting lifestyles as the primary factor driving teenagers’ interest in vapes. Faisal believes that preventing vape use among teenagers requires a comprehensive approach, not just prohibitions. According to him, restricting access is an important step, including enforcing age limits and supervising distribution, especially online sales. “Restricting or banning flavouring substances is also important because taste is the main factor attracting teenagers’ interest,” he said when contacted by ANTARA on Wednesday. In addition, he stressed the importance of evidence-based education highlighting real risks such as nicotine addiction and its impact on brain development. The role of families and schools is also key in prevention, he continued. “School programmes need not only to provide information but also to train students’ skills in resisting peer pressure,” he said. He added that the most effective strategy is to prevent usage from the start before teenagers try it.