Sunday, May 30, 2010

Females and Cigarettes in Jakarta

The survey of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that in 2004 there was a very sharp increase in the  numbers of females smoking cigarettes in Jakarta compared to the year 2001.

Perhaps that was the reason why in 2005 the provincial government of Jakarta introduced an Anti-Smoking by-law which require Smoking Area to be located separately from Non-Smoking Area. It seems that this was not effective that on 6 May 2010 the government completely banned smoking in buildings.

More details are available on the article of The Jakarta Post that I have quoted below. Happy reading.

Anti-smoking campaign targets women, girls

Ika Krismantari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 05/30/2010 9:58 AM | Headlines
Tobacco doesn’t discriminate by gender or age. People who smoke cigarettes — men or women, young or old — will suffer the negative impacts.

This view was shared during the “No Tobacco Show”, a one-day event organized by the National Commission on Tobacco Control on Saturday in Kuningan, South Jakarta. The event drew 1,500 people from 22 schools in Greater Jakarta.

The event was set up to disseminate information to young people and women on the dangers of smoking ahead of World No Tobacco Day, which falls on May 31.

Committee chairwoman Laks-miati A. Hanafiah said the commission organized the event in response to the rise in the number of women and teenage smokers in Jakarta.

The latest data from the Central Statistics Agency show the prevalence of smoking among women
in Indonesia had tripled to 4.5 percent in 2004, with the highest increase among teenage girls aged 15 to 19.

The number of teenage smokers has grown almost tenfold from 0.2 percent in 2001 to 1.9 percent in 2004.
Laksmiati said that this worrying trend was caused by ubiquitous cigarette advertising in media and public places that conveyed false information.

“All those ads are misleading. There is no safe limit for cigarettes. The only thing that is safe is to stop smoking,” Laksmiati said, referring to commercials offering cigarette products claiming to have lower amounts of nicotine.

She added the event would help people find the real message behind the advertisements.
At the event, students from different schools displayed their own anti-smoking campaigns to help get the real message across to the public.


A participants coming from state vocational high school SMKN 8 in Pejaten, South Jakarta, exhibited a ghost house to demonstrate the dangers of smoking.


Some of the students dressed up as ghosts with heavy mascara and pale makeup standing in front of a poster with information on cigarettes.


“We want to warn people that this is the result you meet when you smoke,” said 10th grader Leni Nuraini, who was dressed as an angel of death.


Laksmiati acknowledged the importance of involving the youth as well as women in the war against tobacco because they were the next target for cigarette companies.


The commission plans to hold a seminar to raise awareness among women to contribute to the war against tobacco, she added.
This commission believes personal initiatives from individuals were important for the success of the anti-tobacco movement, especially in light of the failure of the local government to enforce regulations prohibiting smoking in the capital.


The Jakarta administration introduced the first anti-smoking bylaw in 2005, but its implementation is seen as a failure. The bylaw required smoking areas to be separated from non-smoking areas.


The administration has tightened the rule since May 6 this year by banning smoking completely in buildings. 

The public, as well as authorities, have questioned the effectiveness of this policy. Indonesia is the world’s third-largest tobacco consumer.

9 comments:

colson said...

Is smoking is considered to be cool among teenagers and smart advertisement campaigns support that, it will be hard to stop or decrease the growing number of smokers.

Since the percentage of smoking women is lagging behind all over the world, it is a reservoir to fill the losses at the male front because of anti-smoking laws. Therefore cigarette companies specifically target the female population. At least in eastern Europe special brands of cigarettes have been successfully launched which are being marketed as very feminine.

Unknown said...

Colson,
Considering that teenagers are easy targets or cigarette producers, awareness about the danger of smoking should be boosted. Besides, cigarette promotion/ads and smoking area should be limited to a minimum.

I also share your opinion that cigarette manufacturers have been targeting females all over the world.

Muhammad Subhani said...

you have really nice information dude
thanks :D

Unknown said...

Its a catch 22 situation..on one hand the govt everywhere supports anti smoking campaign and conversely support the tobacco growers who are poor farmers. Unless the tobacco growers are provided with alternative cash crop this is an exercise in futility.

Glanchaser said...

Nice One mate!

Insufficient educations has become the mother of our Topic!

And the worst part and fact is if any woman becomes the second hand smoker!

They risking not their own health but also their own generation , No doubt Poisons contained in every Cigarette are very harmful to every woman & to Brain Intelligence for Kids

@umihoney
One other site that is Dilema but doesnt everbony love tea? Beside tea is Good for our Health. I think Job conversion from tobacco farmer to tea is not bad at all to face this problem

Glanchaser said...

Nice One mate!

Insufficient educations has become the mother of our Topic!

And the worst part and fact is if any woman becomes the second hand smoker!

They risking not their own health but also their own generation , No doubt Poisons contained in every Cigarette are very harmful to every woman & to Brain Intelligence for Kids

@umihoney
One other site that is Dilema but doesnt everbody love tea? Beside tea is Good for our Health. I think Job conversion from tobacco farmer to tea is not bad at all to face this problem

Unknown said...

@Muhammad Subhani,
Thank you for your visit and praise, in means a lot to me.

@Umihoney,
You are very right. It's a dilemma. Transforming tobacco plantations into other plantations would not be easy and takes lots of time. Especially that the government received lots of money from cigarette excise and tax.
In the mean time the best thing would be to limit the ads and places for smoking.

@Glanchaser,
Insufficient education may be the main cause of the problem, but not the only one. Many people with high education smoke cigarette. I agree that smoking endanger the smokers and their kids.
Conversion from tobacco to tea plantation would be great for a long term solution. But it takes lots of time and money.

Unknown said...

I think that the government needs to stand up to the tobacco industry and like the alcohol industry raise the taxes on the cigarettes and use that money to support the health system and improve the living conditions for the people in real poverty.
Cigarettes kill. Full stop.
Raise the price, educate the public, stop the advertising on TV and the association with sport and maybe over time less people will see it as trendy and cool to smoke.
I love my blue sky land...

Unknown said...

Hi Luke,
That's a very good idea, increase tax and excises for cigarettes, seriously limit cigarette ads, and limit smoking places. I also love clear blue sky.