Smokers in Indonesia are from children to adults since tobacco excise tax is cheap so that they can buy it. Noticing the fact, Muhammadiyah Tobacco Control Center (MTCC) conducted a meeting discussing “Increase Cigarette Excise and Prices to Protect Community and Generation of This Nation” on Tuesday (9/10) at Auditorium of Muhammadiyah, Jalan Menteng, Jakarta. The meeting aimed to urge government to lift tobacco excise tax so that Indonesian people may not easily purchase cigarettes.

“The increasing of the tobacco excise tax effects the people’s purchasing power,” declared Project Director of MTCC of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) dr. Hj. Supriyatiningsih, M.Kes., Sp.OG on a release on Wednesday (10/10).

Supriyatiningsih mentioned that issues in low tobacco excise tax should be overcome. Framework Tobacco Control Convention (FTCC) established in 2013 is an international convention on public health discussed and agreed by WHO member countries aiming to now and future generation from the impacts of smoking and tobacco smoke. Unfortunately, Indonesian government has yet responded to sign the agreement.

Majelis Tarjih dan Tajdid of Muhammadiyah announced a fatwa of a prohibition on smoking. Besides, UMY as an educational Muhammadiyah movement has been advocating tobacco control since 2011 to implement tobacco control regulations in 20 regencies and cities in Indonesia and to reinforce national networking with various elements. “Muhammadiyah and UMY go hand in hand to alleviate the number of smokers in Indonesia,” told Supriyatiningsih, well-knon as dr. Upi.

She expected that government could immediately make a decision to save future generation from risks of tobacco. “If government does not firmly confront tobacco issues, the number of smokers of young generation will elevate,” she emphasized.