Indonesia's Cigarette Consumption Rises Anomalously as Other Nations Cut Back

The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has stated that Indonesia faces a major challenge in controlling cigarette consumption. Unlike many other countries that have successfully reduced tobacco use, Indonesia has experienced an upward trend over the last two decades. This situation is one of the reasons the government continues to push for stronger tobacco control regulations through derivative rules of Government Regulation Number 28 of 2024. The Ministry of Health warns that rising cigarette consumption will lead to an increased burden of non-communicable diseases in the future. Benget Saragih, Head of the Tobacco-Related Disease Control Working Group at the Ministry of Health, said Indonesia is now one of the world’s largest cigarette markets. “Indonesia is the third-largest cigarette market after China and India. While consumption is declining in other countries, Indonesia is an anomaly, with an increase of around 7 per cent in the period from 2000 to 2020,” Benget said. This trend is a serious concern because high cigarette consumption will be followed by an increase in tobacco-related diseases. The impact will not only be felt by the health system but will also increase the state’s financial burden for treatment. The Ministry of Health also noted that the number of adult smokers in Indonesia has reached around 63 million people. Meanwhile, the number of child smokers continues to grow, even though the prevalence rate has slightly decreased. “After hypertension, smoking is the risk factor causing death from non-communicable diseases. Therefore, we must continue to make control efforts so that the public health burden does not become greater,” Benget said. The government believes that regulation aims not only to reduce the number of current smokers but also to prevent the emergence of new smokers, who are predominantly from younger age groups. This measure is expected to reduce the burden of chronic diseases in the future. “Even if there are differences of opinion with the economic sector, the Ministry of Health is obliged to voice the protection of public health. The policy will later be decided through inter-ministerial harmonisation,” Benget said.