Covered With Excise Tape, Ministry Of Health Values Health Warnings On Cigarette Packs Ineffective

JAKARTA - The Head of the Working Team for Chronic Lung Disease and Immunological Disorders at the Ministry of Health, dr. Benget Saragih Turnip said health warnings on cigarette packs are still not effective in providing education that smoking is dangerous.

"Pictured health warnings on our cigarettes, which are 40 percent, are not effective in providing education to people who smoke that smoking is dangerous", said Benget in the 2022 National Children's Day webinar?", which was followed in Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, July 28.

He said that although 40 percent of cigarette packs contained health warnings, some of the images were covered by cigarette excise tape and there was no additional education for the public to stop smoking. Moreover, according to him, cigarettes are still easily bought in shops by retail.

"Little children, they can buy cigarettes in the middle, now this also greatly increases the prevalence of smokers", he said.

Benget said that many smokers prioritize their spending on cigarettes rather than buying groceries, so there is a risk of causing malnutrition in the family.

"From rice, new cigarettes, new others, milk, protein is number three so that our stunting rate increases", he said.

One of the Ministry of Health's efforts to reduce the prevalence of young smokers is to send a letter to 10 ministries/agencies to implement a smoke-free area in their respective offices.

He also appreciated the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology for including a curriculum on the dangers of smoking in the school curriculum and requiring all teachers not to smoke in schools.

"All teachers are not allowed to smoke and teachers are not allowed to order their children/students to buy cigarettes", he said.