Commemorating Day Without Tobacco, Ministry Of Health, PDPI, And Kenvue Collaborating To Launch Smoking Stop Movement

JAKARTA Indonesia is facing an active smoker crisis, with around 70 million people, including 7.4% of teenagers aged 10'18 years. Without serious steps, WHO projects that smoking prevalence will increase to 37.5% by 2025, exacerminating health and national economic burdens.

In response, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemenkes), together with Kenvue, and the Indonesian Lung Doctors Association (PDPI), officially launched the Smoking Stop Movement for Healthy Indonesia to coincide with the commemoration of the Day Without Tobacco which falls on May 31. This campaign aims to encourage smokers to quit smoking through scientific evidence-based approaches, such as the use of the Nikotin Replacement Therapy (Nicotine Replacement Therapy/NRT).

"Although the prevalence of smoking percentageally decreased, the absolute number of smokers actually increased, especially in age groups over 15 years and novice smokers. Electronic cigarette users also increased 10 times in 2023. The government continues to strive to protect children and adolescents from the dangers of smoking through various initiatives, ranging from the application of Non-Smoking Areas to the provision of counseling services to stop smoking. However, this effort requires cross-sectoral support. The movement to quit smoking supported by the community, the community, and the private sector will strengthen the protection of our young generation," said dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi, M.Epid, Director of Infectious Disease Management, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia.

Exposure to tobacco products in children is increasingly concerning, triggered by industrial strategies such as advertising, sponsorship, attractive taste, and low prices. In addition to causing health impacts, cigarettes are also a serious economic burden: the cost of treatment due to cigarettes has tripled the state's revenue from tobacco excise.

As part of the national strategy, the government has issued Government Regulation No. 28 of 2024 and Health Law No. 17 of 2023 which strengthens smoking-stop services, including the expansion of NRT access in health facilities such as health centers. The target is that all health centers will have a Smoking Stop Service (UBM) in 2029, integrated with the ONESEHAT data platform.

In the same session, Prof. Dr. dr. Agus Dwi Susanto, SpP(K)., MHPM., FISR., FAPSR, Advisor of the Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Lung Doctors Association (PDPI) and the President Director of Friendship Hospital, underlined that smoking is the main cause of Kronic Obstructive Lung Cancer and Lung Disease (PPOK) in Indonesia. Cigarettes have caused 268,614 deaths each year (12.3% of the total death), and economic losses reached Rp288 trillion. He also highlighted that e-cigarettes (vapes) are not a solution and are no safer vapes contain dangerous substances such as acetaldehyde, acrolein, formaldehyde, diisetil (the cause of popcorn lung), heavy metals, and carcinogene that trigger lung cancer, COPOK, asthma, and acute injury such as EVALI.

As a proof-based approach, NRT such as nicotine rubber candy, patches, suction tablets, and mouth sprays is clinically proven to help reduce symptoms of nicotine break and increase the success of quitting smoking. Products such as Niotote totaling' provide safe low nicotine doses without thousands of harmful chemicals such as in cigarettes and vapes. NRT is also recognized by WHO and BPOM, and its use is recommended under the supervision of medical personnel.

Fika Yolanda, Marketing Director of Kenvue Indonesia asserts, We are committed to supporting government programs in intervening in the prevalence of smokers in Indonesia by ensuring access to NRT products such as Niotette totaling is available and affordable throughout Indonesia, including remote areas. Niotite totaling is the only coffee stop pharmatherapy available in Indonesia, which has been approved by BPOM and includes the WHO pre-qualification (PQ) list. Niotteisia overcomes symptoms of nicotine breakout (withdrawal) and has been shown to increase the rate of success of quitting 2X folding compared to intent alone and 5X folding if combined with counseling, with controlled nicotine doses. In addition, we will present UBM education programs for health workers, the public, including digital education to assist the smoking process as a whole; including training for health workers through collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Health and PDPI.'

As a tangible manifestation of the joint commitment in the Smoking Stop Movement, the Ministry of Health, Kenvue, and the Indonesian Lung Doctors Association (PDPI), also provides training for health workers. This training includes understanding UBM policies and services, medical impacts of cigarettes and electronic cigarettes, clinical approaches to the use of NRT, as well as motivational interview skills to assist patients who experience nicotine addiction. With this training, health workers are equipped with knowledge and practical skills to support the smoking stop process comprehensively.

This training is an important step to educate and increase the capacity of health workers in providing effective smoking stop services. We at PDPI believe that the smoking stop approach can not only be educational, but must be accompanied by appropriate clinical interventions such as the use of NRT which can increase the success rate of smoking stops by up to 5X times than only intentions, if combined with four-inch counseling and communication and is oriented towards behavior change. With this cross-sector collaboration, we hope that the number of active smokers in Indonesia can be significantly suppressed," said Prof. Agus.

"This is the first step of collaboration between the Ministry of Health, Kenvue and PDPI and we will continue to support the Government's Program in the Smoking Stop Movement for Healthy Indonesia. In addition, Kenvue also carries out sustainability initiatives such as environmentally friendly packaging and reducing carbon footprint, because the future of cigarette-free also means a healthier future for the planet," concluded Fika.