Indonesia is among 8 countries in the world that have not yet signed & ratified the lifesaving global tobacco treaty! Save lives Indonesia
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An important Declaration endorsed by over 1500 experts has called upon Indonesia to ratify the lifesaving global tobacco treaty and hold tobacco and nicotine industries liable. The declaration also calls for implementing several other proven measures to protect its children and people from deadly tobacco and nicotine products.
Of all the countries in the world, Indonesia is among one of the only 8 nations globally that has neither signed nor ratified the global tobacco treaty - formally called the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). This treaty was the historic first public health and corporate accountability treaty of the UN health agency - WHO.
It is no surprise that tobacco smoking is shockingly high in Indonesia resulting in preventable diseases and untimely deaths of epidemic proportions. Indonesia's economic losses due to tobacco-related diseases and lost productivity are colossal.
"Indonesia is facing a severe tobacco crisis that is costing more than IDR 288 trillion every year (over US$ 16 Billion) and claiming around 270,000 lives annually. Tobacco use is also worsening Indonesia's tuberculosis epidemic and driving the growing burden of heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes. Most concerning, millions of children and Gen Z are being relentlessly targeted by tobacco and nicotine marketing. The government must take bold and urgent action by strengthening tobacco control policies, ratifying the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), and protecting public policies from tobacco and nicotine industry interference. Public health, not industry profit, must be the priority," said Dr Tara Singh Bam, noted global health advocate who leads Vital Strategies as Asia Pacific Director for Tobacco Control. Dr Bam was awarded by Indonesian Ministry of Health for his dedicated contribution to advancing health in the country for almost two decades.
In Indonesia, the situation is deeply alarming - tobacco smoking prevalence is among the highest in the world. In 2023, 28.6% of the population aged 15 and above were active smokers.
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