IYCTC: Tobacco Industry Rejection of Nicotine-Tar Limits Could Cause Demographic Burden
Jakarta — The Indonesian Youth Council for Tactical Changes (IYCTC) has stated that the tobacco industry’s rejection of nicotine and tar limits in cigarettes jeopardises young people and risks becoming a demographic burden due to increased healthcare costs and reduced productivity.
“I appreciate the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs and the experts on nicotine and tar limitation policies; this shows a desire for long-term economic objectives, not profits for a small group that sacrifice the human resources of the Golden Generation,” said IYCTC Chairman Manik Marganamahendra in Jakarta on Tuesday.
However, he noted, nearly 6 million Indonesian children under 18 years of age are active smokers. Manik added that Indonesia’s demographic dividend would become a demographic burden if state policy continues to be held hostage by industrial interests.
According to him, the tobacco industry’s rejection of compliance with the objectives of nicotine and tar limits, as mandated by Government Regulation 28 of 2024 to reduce smoking prevalence, contradicts the mandate of the Law and the aspirations of national development through improved human quality.
“Public health is an absolute right that cannot be negotiated for the sake of pursuing corporate profit targets,” Manik said.
On the same occasion, Chairman of the National Commission for Tobacco Control Hasbullah Thabrany stated that nicotine is a highly addictive substance, and tar contains various carcinogenic compounds linked to fatal diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and chronic respiratory disorders.
Therefore, setting maximum limits on nicotine and tar levels in conventional cigarettes and maximum nicotine limits in electronic cigarettes is urgently needed to reduce exposure to harmful substances among the public, especially young people.
“With a tenfold increase in electronic cigarette users over a decade and continually rising numbers of child smokers, this regulation is increasingly urgent to implement,” said Manik.
Similarly, Chairman of the Indonesian Health Policy Room (RUKKI) Mouhamad Bigwanto stated that the recommendation for a maximum nicotine limit of 1 mg per stick proposed by the study team is a moderate approach and remains higher than the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation.
“If we look at clove cigarette products on the market, many already have nicotine levels below 1 mg per stick. This means this recommendation is not impossible to implement,” said Bigwanto.
Furthermore, he said, the Indonesian Government has actually previously had similar regulations in Government Regulation No. 81 of 1999, so this regulation is not new to Indonesia.
He also assessed that the five-year phased implementation proposed in the study already provides more than sufficient time for the industry to adjust their products.
With the establishment of maximum limits on nicotine and tar levels, it is hoped this will help the public reduce their dependence on addictive substances and reduce the health risks caused.
“In any case, according to WHO recommendations, there is no safe limit for nicotine and tar levels, so this regulation is more of an effort to reduce risk, especially given the large number of deaths from diseases with smoking risk factors in Indonesia, which now reaches 283,000 people per year,” Bigwanto said.