If the bill initiated by the parliament is passed, companies will no
longer have to put grim pictures on cigarette packs of lung cancer
or other diseases linked to smoking, said Mohammad Subuh,
director-general of disease prevention and control at the health
ministry.
Under existing regulations, 40 percent of the front and back of a
cigarette pack must contain a "health warning" in the form of
pictures and text.
Under the tobacco bill, reviewed by Reuters, cigarette packs would
not be required to have a specific portion dedicated to
health-related pictures. Cigarette businesses that put up
advertisements, either in electronic, printed or outdoor media, do
have to include a health warning that is "written with clear
alphabets, easily read and proportionate."
School and playground areas would be designated as "no-
cigarette-smoke zones" instead of "no-cigarette zones", which would
allow cigarettes to be sold or displayed there, Subuh said.
"Indonesia is the most liberal country for the tobacco industry,"
said Subuh, who oversees the health ministry's tobacco control
efforts.
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"Let's not open again the opportunities for the industry to lure
teenagers to party with cigarettes. It's like jumping from a
helicopter without a parachute," he said in an interview.
OUTPUT INCREASE
Last year, 54.8 percent of males between 15 and 19 years old were
smokers in Indonesia, more than double the percentage of smokers in
2001, according to the health ministry. The price of a pack of
cigarettes in Indonesia can be less than $2.
A shocking video of a toddler reportedly puffing up to 40 cigarettes
a day on the island of Sumatra went viral around seven years ago,
firing up anti-tobacco activists who said it underscored the problem
of underage smoking in Indonesia.
"Indonesia is terrifying because it has among the most baby smokers
in the world. From elementary school until high school, the smoking
rate is also one of the highest," the health ministry's Subuh said.
Indonesia is the only country in the Asia-Pacific region that has
yet to ratify or be a party to the World Health Organization's
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which seeks to
protect against the harmful consequences of smoking.
The tobacco bill mainly aims to sharply increase cigarette output in
Indonesia, already the world's fourth-biggest producer, at a time
when other Asian countries are taking measures to curb smoking.
Proponents of the bill say it would safeguard a vital economic
sector that employs millions of people and contributes nearly 10
percent of state revenues.
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"We don't mind some regulations, as long as they are not excessive,"
said Abdus Setiawan, a board member at the Indonesia Tobacco
Growers' Association. Setiawan said he already considers emblazoning
cigarette packs with the message that "smoking kills" to be
"excessive."
To become law in Indonesia, the tobacco bill has to be agreed
between the government and the parliament. President Joko Widodo
agreed in March to start discussions on the bill with the
parliament, but it is unclear when the president will make a
decision.
$17 BILLION INDUSTRY
Indonesia, a country of 250 million and the biggest economy in
Southeast Asia, is attractive for major cigarette companies at a
time when growth is slowing in more developed markets.
Indonesia produced 269.2 billion cigarettes in 2015, while the total
market was valued at 231.3 trillion rupiah ($17.3 billion),
according to research firm Euromonitor International.
Philip Morris International Inc and British American Tobacco PLC
have controlling stakes in local cigarette makers PT Hanjaya Mandala
Sampoerna Tbk and PT Bentoel Internasional Investama Tbk,
respectively.
Other major domestic players include PT Gudang Garam Tbk and
privately held Djarum Group.
Regulations for the industry have been poorly enforced and some
companies target young Indonesians with new products such as
fruit-flavored cigarettes or clever advertising, activists say.
"A lot of advertisements here send the message that if you don't
smoke, you're not macho, you're not cool," Muhammad Khanavi, a
14-year-old student, said on the sidelines of an anti-smoking event
to mark World No Tobacco Day on Wednesday.
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($1 = 13,321.00 rupiah)
(Editing by Ed Davies and Bill Tarrant)
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