"I would like to extend my gratitude to mayors who have passed local smokefree laws. It is important for central government to collaborate with local governments to achieve tobacco control," said the Indonesian health minister.
Despite alarming levels of tobacco industry interference, it is indeed commendable that mayors and sub-national leaders of Indonesia have been able to advance tobacco control.
Agrees Kelly Larson of Bloomberg Philanthropies: "We acknowledge the role of sub-national leaders in Indonesia and commend the mayors of over 300 cities who have passed local smokefree laws, that protect 75% of the country's population from the hazards of tobacco smoke." Kelly Larson shared that prioritising tobacco control and public health in New York resulted in increased life expectancy of 2 years for its citizens.
Not surprisingly, tobacco industry and its front groups are trying to create hurdles when local sub-national leaders try to advance tobacco control and health promotion. Effective enforcement of strong tobacco-control laws hurt the industry profits. For instance, in 2017, Bogor City had become the first Indonesian city to implement a point-of-sale tobacco display ban as part of its smokefree law. But soon after a legal battle ensued. Finally, in February 2020, the city of Bogor won the court case when Supreme Court had upheld its ban on the display of tobacco products at point-of-sale.
While exposing how tobacco industry approaches election candidates to influence public policy, Mayor of Bogor City Dr Bima Arya said in 7th APCAT Summit opening session that "every candidate of local elections was approached by the tobacco industry."
#APCAT2022 Declaration gives hope for a better tomorrow
"We, the delegates of the 7th Asia Pacific Summit of Mayors, recognize that APCAT is a vital platform to share experiences, shape local actions, and secure greater leadership as well as look for synergistic actions between specific health and development programmes.
"We commit to accelerate progress towards eventually ending tobacco use, as well as preventing the avoidable burden of NCDs, eliminating Tuberculosis, and improving synergy between health and development programmes and promoting integrated responses where possible, thereby reducing disease burden and averting untimely deaths, by:
- "Leading effective implementation of tobacco control programmes that include smokefree environments; a complete ban on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship; promotion of larger graphic health warnings with plain packaging on tobacco packs; smoking cessation programmes; and a ban on electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, shisha, and other similar products;
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