"In fact, we have issued regulations related to (public) areas that should be free from cigarette smoke through Regional Regulation No. 10 of 2010 concerning Non-Smoking Areas,” Mayor of Pontianak Edi Rusdi Kamtono stated during the commemoration of the 58th National Health Day here on Saturday.
Kamtono said the 2022 National Health Day, themed “Recover my Indonesia, my healthy nation," aligned with the goal of increasing public awareness of the importance of health.
One of the ways is to increase public awareness of the dangers caused by cigarette smoke.
To this end, the mayor invited Pontianak City's residents to start caring about the environment and the people around them by not smoking in prohibited places.
The Pontianak City Health Office has, so far, implemented the regional regulation at several public facilities, such as schools, hospitals, hotels, and offices, that prohibit smoking.
"The progress has been good. These non-smoking areas should continue to be educated. The goal is that Pontianak City's residents live healthy and Pontianak is clean from cigarette smoke pollution," he remarked.
Pontianak City’s commitment to implementing steps for ensuring areas free from cigarette smoke has garnered support from the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) and the Tobacco Control Support Center (TCSC) as well as the Indonesian Public Health Association (IAKMI). The support was declared in a commitment signed on March 8, 2022.
Kamtono explained that the declaration and commitment to implement non-smoking areas is part of the efforts to realize a child-friendly city.
"We protect children from being exposed to cigarettes," he emphasized.
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Translator: Andilala, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
