"(There will be) no total ban on cigarette ads, promotions and sponsorships. It will all be done in stages," she said here on Thursday after attending a coordination meeting on the draft government regulation on securing addictive materials in tobacco products for health at the office of the coordinating minister for people`s welfare.
The meeting was led by Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono and was also attended by minister for empowerment of women and child protection, Linda Gumelar.
Endang said the discussion of the draft regulation on tobacco had already made progress.
"The discussion has already focussed and it is almost certain it will be passed into a government regulation soon," she said.
She also said all parties involved in the discussion of the draft regulation have had common spirit namely they wished the regulation could be immediately passed.
"The draft regulation must be advanced to assure the younger generation`s health and prevent them from becoming new smokers," she said.
Minister Linda Gumelar meanwhile said all parties involved in the drafting had to protect and take the interest of the children into consideration.
"According to data we receive from the health ministry the number of child cigarette smokers are increasing every year," she said.
In view of that she said the passage of the draft regulation was important to protect the children.
"With the tobacco regulation tobacco products could be regulated and hopefully children could be prevented from becoming cigarette smokers," she said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
