JAKARTA – The Indonesian government has enacted a strict prohibition on the sale of cigarettes and e-cigarettes in the vicinity of schools and children’s playgrounds. This regulation, outlined in Article 434 of Government Regulation No. 28 of 2024, aims to curtail the number of young smokers in the country.
Under the new law, it is illegal for anyone to sell tobacco products and e-cigarettes within a 200-meter radius of educational institutions and children’s play areas. The regulation, effective from July 29, 2024, underscores the government’s commitment to protecting the health of its younger population.
The decision to implement this ban follows a series of legislative measures designed to address the growing concern over youth smoking rates in Indonesia. According to recent data, a significant percentage of smokers in Indonesia begin smoking at a young age. Specifically, 56.9 percent of smokers start between the ages of 15 and 19.
This latest move is part of a broader strategy to reduce tobacco consumption among the youth. Earlier this year, the Indonesian government introduced a 10% tax increase on e-cigarettes, aligning it with the excise taxes on conventional cigarettes. This tax hike, effective from January 1, 2024, generated Rp 1.75 trillion (US$113.2 million) in revenue in 2023, despite representing only 1% of the total revenue from tobacco tax that year.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised Indonesia’s legislative actions, urging other countries to adopt similar measures. On World No Tobacco Day 2024, WHO called for bold and decisive action to protect young people from the tobacco industry’s influence.
However, the new regulation has sparked some debate. Concerns have been raised about the impact on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the advertising industry. Despite these concerns, the Indonesian Youth Coalition for Tobacco Control (IYCTC) has expressed strong support for the ban, emphasizing the urgent need to address the high rates of youth smoking.
President Joko Widodo’s administration has taken significant steps to regulate the tobacco industry. The legalization of e-cigarettes in 2023, under Health Law No. 17, classified e-cigarettes as addictive substances, further integrating them into the country’s legal framework.
