"Based on gender system, in 1995 there are 33.8 million men and 1.1 million women who smoke. The number is rising sharply in 2007 with 60.4 million men and 4.8 million women," researcher at UI`s Demographic Research Center Abdillah Hasan said here on Wednesday.
He said the number of people who start smoking at a younger age was also increasing over the years with only 7 percent of teenagers smoking in 1995 then 12 years later the number is increasing to 19 percent.
He said the latest survey showed the effectiveness of cigarette industry in wooing customers and, on the contrary, the weak side of the government in protecting teenagers from smoking.
Abdillah said the increasing number of smokers in Indonesia was caused by the large population and economy, ineffective implementation of free-smoking spaces in public places and the weak regulations on smoking consumption control.
"There are four instruments that need to be implemented to decrease smoking habits namely raising the price of cigarettes through tax, restricting cigarette advertisements, putting image of various smoke-related diseases in the cigarette tapackages and effectively introduce and implement free-smoke zones,"said Abdillah.
Meanwhile, Vice Chief of UI`s Demographic Research Center, Dwini Handayani, said smoking needs to controlled in the society. However, she reminded that supervising the flow of cigarettes was costly and needs a strong will from both the government and people. (*)
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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
