However, scientific research is hard to conduct in low and middle income nations due to the lack of openness of stakeholders despite the high number of smokers in those nations, he opined.
To this end, he suggested that stakeholders remain more open and prioritize communication to know the real facts regarding the concept.
"A more open, evidence- and research-based objective dialogue from all parties is needed," Pangestu asserted.
Meanwhile, a researcher from Public Health Observer Foundation (YPKP), Amaliya, endorsed the implementation of the tobacco harm reduction concept.
"In mitigating this cigarette epidemic, there cannot just be two options, quit or die. To mitigate this addiction, it is very hard to reduce nicotine need to zero," the researcher said, adding there is a lot of inaccurate information being spread among the public regarding alternative tobacco products.
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Scientific research can play an important role in handling this problem, Amaliya said adding, local scientific research has to be intensified and supported by the government.
Government institutions can also conduct their own independent studies regarding alternative tobacco products, the researcher added.
"Scientific research regarding alternative tobacco products is still very limited in Indonesia at the moment. We need to encourage all parties to conduct and prioritize scientific research when discussing alternative tobacco products," Amaliya noted.
Earlier, during the virtual Global Forum on Nicotine (GFN) event, Sree Sucharita, a professor from Tagore Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India, had explained that reluctance toward the tobacco harm reduction concept has been one factor that has led to the prevalence of smokers.
The number of smokers in India has reached 300 million, Sucharita disclosed adding, lack of political will as well as lack of accurate information from health practitioners have hindered tobacco harm reduction policy implementation.
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Translator: Royke Sinaga, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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