Amid Sanctions For Withdrawing KJP, KPAI Proposes For Smokers In DKI Jakarta To Be Facilitated By Rehabilitation

Illustration of cigarette butts. (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) Jasra Putra asked for the policy of revocation of the Smart Jakarta Card (KJP) for students caught smoking to be balanced with the provision of rehabilitation facilities to stop smoking addiction.

"We cut off cigarettes by giving children sanctions, but children's access to cigarettes is still available, those whose KJP budget is stopped, but cannot be rehabilitated and in the end the effects of addiction continue to haunt them, which results in cigarettes cannot be separated from the child's grasp," said Jasra Putra in Jakarta, Tuesday, May 9, confiscated by Antara.

He added that children who are addicted to smoking have the potential to be addicted to other more dangerous addictive substances.

"The effect of the addiction when it is not restored will be an opening for other addiction industries. So don't let this policy be like salting the oceans," he said.

His party criticized the government for being committed to keeping cigarettes away from children, but the special protection budget for children who are victims of cigarettes and similar products of cigarettes is still minimal.

In fact, according to him, the income from cigarette excise is already very large, but a proper rehabilitation place for children who are addicted to smoking is still not available.

"The amount of the budget does not reflect the commitment to a proper rehabilitation place for children who are addicted to products that have a major impact on the child's environment and health," he said.

KPAI also encourages the government to carry out the mandate of the Child Protection Law Article 59 Paragraph 2 states that the government, local governments, and other state institutions are obliged and responsible for providing Child Special Protection, in which there are 15 categories of children who need special protection, including smokers.

"Children must be protected, restored, given access to rehabilitation, restored, in order to uphold the state in the constitution on anti-discrimination attitudes in children," he concluded.