Indonesia Urgently Calls for Regulations to Restrict E-cigarette Usage

The Indonesian Society of Respiratory Medicine (PDPI) has urgently called on the government to establish regulations to restrict the use of e-cigarettes, in order to prevent them from becoming a "health time bomb" in the next 10 to 15 years. Professor Agus Dwi Soejanto, Chairman of the PDPI, has warned that the majority of e-cigarette users in Indonesia are young people, and their numbers have increased nearly tenfold since 2011.

The spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Satiti Nadia Tarmizi, has announced that they are currently coordinating relevant regulations to include restrictions on e-cigarette consumption in the derivative regulations of the 17th bill of 2023. The plan is to complete this process in the near future. Naina Samidhi, the project manager of Indonesia's nationwide tobacco control program, hopes that the regulations for e-cigarettes will be similar to those for traditional cigarettes, including designated smoke-free areas, warning images, and advertising regulations.

Professor Augusto Devi Susanto pointed out that the number of e-cigarette users in Indonesia has surged, especially among adolescents. According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey of 2021, the number of e-cigarette users aged 15 and above has increased tenfold in the past decade. He stated during a press conference that among the age group of 10 to 18, the number of e-cigarette users in Indonesia has nearly multiplied by ten between 2016 and 2018.

On the other hand, the Indonesian Ministry of Finance will commence imposing taxes on e-cigarettes starting January 1, 2024, in order to create a level playing field. Ms. Nina Samidi has stated that the tax policy should apply to both e-liquids and vaping devices, and recommends an annual increase of at least 20% in tax rates, in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organization. The aim of this tax policy is to ensure that health-hazardous or health-threatening products are subjected to taxation.

Indonesia is making efforts to address the health issues associated with e-cigarettes, implementing measures to restrict their use and safeguard public health through taxation policies.