Indonesia: 31.3 Percent Students in Jakarta are Smokers

Source from:  Berita Jakarta  12/05/2013

Smoking habit is no longer the monopoly of adults, but it is already taken by adolescent and even children. Based on the survey conducted by the Economic Faculty of Trisakti University and Modernisator back in November-December 2012, it was found out that 31.3 percent of students in the capital city were smoking.

Out of that number, 20.6 percent of them were active smokers who smoked daily. Meanwhile, 10.7 percent of them were passive smokers who smoked only frequently.

"The research was conducted at 41 schools of junior high (SMP) and senior high (SMA) levels in November-December 2012, with 1,435 students as respondents who consist of 58 percent males and 42 percent females. Some of them admitted have tried to smoke since they were 9 years old, and in average the cigarettes were their parents'," said Head of Trisakti University Youth Smoking Prevention Program, Prof Farah Margaretha, in a Workshop titled Parents' Role in Jakarta Students' Smoking Prevention held by Trisakti University, West Jakarta, Saturday (5/4).

According to Margaretha, in the survey it was revealed that family is highly influential for students who tried to smoke. Out of all respondents, 75.5 percent of them have fathers who smoke. "10.4 percent admitted that their mothers smoke as well, while the rest was influenced by other relatives. Their influence could come from three sides, namely parents, friends, and teachers," she explained.

Based on the survey result, Trisakti University invites and educates parents and teachers to prevent children and students from doing smoking habit. "Teachers are still considered as role models for the students, thus it is easy for them to instill the students with the dangers invoked by smoking habit. We drafted smoking prevention modules for PE (Physical Education) lesson as well as Pancasila and Citizenry lesson for those 41 schools we conducted the survey on, to be inserted into the syllabus," she uttered.

Moreover, the students were also have been given trainings to be role models for smoking prevention campaign. "We have trained 80 students and we will monitor their progress. One student has been able to present the dangers of smoking to 400 of his fellow students in the same school," she told.

Margaretha assessed that smoking habit has great dangers. Several among many dangers are bladder cancer, mouth cancer, cardiac problems, increasing the risk of diabetes, pregnancy complications, respiratory problems, et cetera. "Smoking prevention effort for students can be done not only at school, but it also needs support from the parents at home," she stated.

Jakarta Provincial Government also has issued regulation on no smoking areas by issuing Bylaw No. 2/2005 about Air Pollution. Furthermore, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on April 24, 2012, has signed a Government Regulation (PP) on Tobacco No. 109/2012 about Substances Containing Addictive Agent in the Form of Tobacco for Health. Enditem