Female workers select dried tobacco leaves (Photo: The Jakarta Post) Jakarta (VNA) – Tobacco not only harmspeople’s health but also threatens the growth of Indonesia, said an article onJakarta Post, adding that the 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs) providea new opportunity for prioritising and incorporating tobacco control in everydevelopment agenda.
The article cited the latest report of the WorldHealth Organisation (WHO) which said almost two in three Indonesian malessmoke, most of whom in the age of 15-19, adding that the addiction has furtherdragged families into poverty as smokers can spend up to 14.5 percent of theirmedian income to buy ten cigarettes every day.
It also noted tobacco causes 200,000 deathsannually, surpassing tuberculosis-related mortality rate which stood at 150,000in 2015.
In addition, Indonesia has suffered annuallosses of about 500 trillion IDR (37.5 billion USD) due to direct and indirectnegative impacts of smoking, overweighing yearly revenue from tobacco taxes of145 trillion IDR (10.9 billion USD).
Meanwhile, tobacco producers of the SoutheastAsian country still continue to increase production and wanted to expandtobacco production.
However, tobacco production expansion will notbenefit tobacco farmers, workers and the poor, according to the article. Itsaid that big companies keep slashing the number of workers as they shift tomachines. In addition, cartel-like practices in tobacco trade have underminedsmall and local manufacturers that rely on manual production.
Due to changing weather and monopoly practice,tobacco farmers now earn 775,000 IDR per month on average, one third of theirincome in the past. Tobacco cultivation also harms environment as it requires alarge amount of fertilisers and pesticides which can pollute water. Thisbusiness uses 4.3 million hectares of land, contributing 2-4 percent to globaldeforestation. Meanwhile, over 700 tonnes of cigarette butts are toxic rubbish.Additionally, tobacco manufacturing produces 2 million tonnes of solid wasteevery year, which demonstrates that tobacco industry perpetuates climatechange.
Despite the hike of retail price of tobacco,this kind of goods is getting more affordable even for the poorest andyoungest. Indonesia is likely to lose demographic bonus in the next 20-30 yearsif the young generation keeps smoking either actively or passively, the articlesaid.-VNA
The article cited the latest report of the WorldHealth Organisation (WHO) which said almost two in three Indonesian malessmoke, most of whom in the age of 15-19, adding that the addiction has furtherdragged families into poverty as smokers can spend up to 14.5 percent of theirmedian income to buy ten cigarettes every day.
It also noted tobacco causes 200,000 deathsannually, surpassing tuberculosis-related mortality rate which stood at 150,000in 2015.
In addition, Indonesia has suffered annuallosses of about 500 trillion IDR (37.5 billion USD) due to direct and indirectnegative impacts of smoking, overweighing yearly revenue from tobacco taxes of145 trillion IDR (10.9 billion USD).
Meanwhile, tobacco producers of the SoutheastAsian country still continue to increase production and wanted to expandtobacco production.
However, tobacco production expansion will notbenefit tobacco farmers, workers and the poor, according to the article. Itsaid that big companies keep slashing the number of workers as they shift tomachines. In addition, cartel-like practices in tobacco trade have underminedsmall and local manufacturers that rely on manual production.
Due to changing weather and monopoly practice,tobacco farmers now earn 775,000 IDR per month on average, one third of theirincome in the past. Tobacco cultivation also harms environment as it requires alarge amount of fertilisers and pesticides which can pollute water. Thisbusiness uses 4.3 million hectares of land, contributing 2-4 percent to globaldeforestation. Meanwhile, over 700 tonnes of cigarette butts are toxic rubbish.Additionally, tobacco manufacturing produces 2 million tonnes of solid wasteevery year, which demonstrates that tobacco industry perpetuates climatechange.
Despite the hike of retail price of tobacco,this kind of goods is getting more affordable even for the poorest andyoungest. Indonesia is likely to lose demographic bonus in the next 20-30 yearsif the young generation keeps smoking either actively or passively, the articlesaid.-VNA
VNA
