Government of Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) Regulation has not yet optimize the regulation implementation of Free Smoking Area (KTR) written on Law of Health No. 26/2009 and Government Regulations No. 109/2012 regulation tobacco advertising. Noticing the fact, Muhammadiyah Tobacco Control Center (MTCC) of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) conducted Focus Group Discussion (FGD) of ‘The Regulation Implementation od Free Smoking Area and the Control of Tobacco Advertising in DIY’ on Tuesday (26/1) at meeting hall of Asri Medical Center (AMC), floor 3.
The FGD aimed at finding out the best strategies to create free smoking area and to control tobacco. “It pointed at inviting representatives of regencies, non-governmental organizations, and DIY’s citizens to discuss the prevention of tobacco industry interference in public and private institutions in Yogyakarta,” Nanik Prasetyoningsih, Program Director of MTCC of UMY.
She inserted that what government can undertake to prevent the interference is by forbidding tobacco adverting inviting and influencing smokers who have quit smoking to smoke again. “There will be a lot of merits if government takes action to prohibit tobacco advertising. One of the merits is coining healthy young generation. Indonesia may not lose demographic focus on children who become targets of the tobacco advertising, and Indonesia ought to preserve the children and teenagers from the impacts of tobacco. It is written on PP No. 109/2012 or Mayor Regulation No. 12/2015 on Free Smoking Area. Government should take firm action by referring to the regulations to preventing tobacco industry interference,” she argued.
Of a number of regencies in Yogyakarta, Kulon Progo Regency is quite successful to perform free smoking area. Dr. Bamabang Haryantno, M.Kes., Head of Health Department of Kulon Progo, informed that the regency has been campaigning free smooking area based on Perda No. 5/2014. The campaign aims at educating, building commitment, and establishing Task Force in public areas like schools, houses of worship, and others. The other objectives are to control the free smokes area and to evaluate programs. “One of the ways to implement Perda No. 5/2014 by government of Kulon Progo is requiring support of executive and legislative in applying the free smoking area, performing political will to local government, and engaging public,” he told.
Bambang added that government should emphasize to diminish the number of beginner smokers and to provide spaces and rights for people who do not smoke to be free from smoking. “The government of Kulon Progo does not prohibit people to smoke, but the government attempts to appreciate and reduce the number of teenage smokers. Several ways to alleviate the number are stongly prohibiting tobacco sellers to sell the tobacco to teenagers under 18 years old, and forbidding tobacco industries to advertise outside roads of Kulon Progo. If the rules are broken, the government will take the advertisement off. Satpol PP has take off 1,964 banners, 9 billboards, and 4 signboards of tobacco advertisement,” he ended.
