Every May 31, the world observes World No Tobacco Day (WNTD)—a global call to action against one of the most persistent public health threats. In 2025, the theme hits closer to home than ever: “Protecting Children from Initiation into Tobacco Use.” For Indonesia, a country with one of the highest smoking rates globally, the message couldn’t be more urgent.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Roughly 34.5% of Indonesian adults—an estimated 70.2 million people—use tobacco. Among men, the smoking rate is staggering: 65.5%, and expected to surge to 74.5% by 2025. Indonesia is now ranked fifth globally in total number of smokers.
But behind these statistics lies a deeper crisis—one that spans health, economy, and generational equity.
Cigarettes, Poverty, and the Lost Generation
Cigarettes in Indonesia are not just a health hazard; they are a social and economic trap. In many low-income families, more money is spent on cigarettes than on nutritious food, education, or children’s healthcare.
As Prof. Dr. Emil Salim, economist and former Minister of Environment, once warned: “A nation cannot prosper when its people burn their own money on cigarettes, sacrificing children’s rights to proper nutrition and education.”
The economic toll is immense. An estimated 225,700 deaths annually in Indonesia are linked to smoking and tobacco-related diseases. Smoking is the second leading cause of death in the country—only behind hypertension. But it’s not just the smokers who suffer; children and women, as passive smokers, are also at grave risk, inhaling secondhand smoke at home and in public spaces.
Youth: A Targeted and Vulnerable Market
Numerous studies confirm a disturbing trend: Indonesian children are starting to smoke at increasingly younger ages. Easy access, subliminal advertising, and peer influence fuel this crisis.
According to Dr. Najelaa Shihab, educator and founder of the Joyful School Movement: “Children are the mirror of our nation’s future. If they grow up inhaling cigarette smoke, we’re raising a generation vulnerable both physically and mentally.”
Smoking in adolescence is scientifically proven to impair lung development, reduce cognitive ability, and increase the risk of infections like bronchitis and pneumonia.
A Moral Imperative
Tobacco is more than a public health issue—it is a moral and societal failure. Children deserve safe, healthy environments, not ones filled with toxic smoke and adult behaviors glamorized by media.
