P2G Calls for Smoke-Free Schools to Prevent Negative Impact on Children

National Coordinator of the Education and Teachers Association (P2G) Satriwan Salim has stated that the school environment must be strictly free from any interaction with cigarettes in all forms, from kindergarten, primary, and junior secondary to senior secondary levels. “Preventing our children, starting from senior secondary, junior secondary, primary, and even the youngest levels, from interacting with an environment full of cigarettes and from consuming cigarettes in any form is crucial, as it will negatively impact their growth and development,” Satriawan said when contacted on Sunday (14/6). Children exposed to cigarettes will suffer mental, emotional, and most significantly, cognitive impacts. Therefore, the role of teachers, academic staff, and the surrounding school environment must be active. Satriawan emphasised that preventing cigarette exposure for school-age children must not only target the school environment but also their social environments, such as at home and within the community. “It must not be the case that schools, with various regulations, prohibit children from going near cigarettes, yet at home, family members, parents, uncles, or anyone else consume cigarettes in front of the children. This certainly does not set a good example for the child, especially those of primary or early childhood education age,” said Satriawan. These ages represent a golden period when children are very quick to imitate whatever adults do, both in actions and words. Ahead of the implementation deadline in July 2026, the Lentera Anak Foundation has appreciated the Ministry of Health’s commitment to finalising the Draft Minister of Health Regulation on cigarettes. The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has urged oversight of the draft ministerial regulation concerning electronic cigarette packaging to reduce the number of child smokers, which has reached 5.9 million, and to protect the younger generation from the addiction industry. Lentera Anak and the Indonesian Lung Doctors Association (PDPI) have highlighted the ease of access to cigarettes around schools. Education on the dangers of smoking is deemed insufficient without the implementation of Government Regulation No. 28 of 2024. Lentera Anak data from 2021 showed that 88.1 percent of children exposed to electronic cigarette advertising encountered it on social media.