Indonesian Children and Cigarettes

Researcher of the Demographic Institute of the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia (LDUI) Abdillah Ahsan said even elementary school age children, even kindergartens can buy cigarettes because of their low price and easy access in Indonesia.

"No need to compare with other countries, the price of cigarettes in Indonesia is very cheap at present. It can even be bought using pocket money given by parents to their children. Not only middle school or high school students, even elementary school children or kindergarten can buy," Abdillah said in a discussion in Jakarta ).

Abdillah gave an example if parents gave Rp10,000 in pocket money to their children per day. That much money can be used to buy two packs of cigarettes at the lowest price or one pack of cigarettes at an average price.

"You can even buy eight cigarettes at the highest price. In Indonesia, the price is very cheap, cigarettes can be bought in bars. Therefore, it is very easy for children to buy cigarettes and addiction," he said.

Abdillah said the cheapest cigarette prices were Rp. 400 per stick and the most expensive was Rp1,215 per cigarette. That is the price according to the rules. The problem is, often the facts on the merchant's field sell cheaper than that price.

Apart from cheap prices, cigarettes are also easily accessed by children. There are no strict rules limiting the sale of cigarettes so that children easily buy. Cigarettes can be sold freely near schools, homes and modern shops.

"The mode that often happens is that there are cigarette advertisements near the school, then there are stalls that sell cigarettes in bars at low prices," he said.

Abdillah said children were very easily addicted to cigarettes. If a child has started smoking three cigarettes for up to five cigarettes per day, then he can be said to be addicted and difficult to stop.