TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Head of the Center for Social Security Studies at the University of Indonesia (PKJS UI), Aryana Satrya, believes it is necessary to raise the minimum tobacco tax by 25 percent per year. The increase is expected to make cigarettes less affordable for the entire population, particularly to restrict young access to the commodity.
"The price of cigarettes in Indonesia, which reaches Rp 49,900 (per pack), is still considered very low compared to the price of cigarettes in developed countries," said Aryana at the media workshop titled "Advocacy for Tobacco Tax and Tobacco Control" in Jakarta on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
The affordability of cigarette prices has led vulnerable groups, especially children, to easily access cigarettes.
According to PKJS UI research, if cigarette prices reach Rp 60,000 per pack, it is believed that 60 percent of smokers will quit. Meanwhile, if cigarette prices reach Rp 70,000 per pack, it is believed that 70 percent of smokers will quit.
"Our 2019 research shows that if the price of cigarettes reaches Rp 60,000, then 60 percent will quit. If it reaches Rp 70,000, then 70 percent will quit," she said.
Furthermore, PKJS UI also emphasizes the importance of optimizing the utilization of tobacco tax revenue sharing (DBH CHT) and regional cigarette tax (PRD) to support tobacco control programs, such as smoking cessation services, educational campaigns, the enforcement of smoke-free areas (KTR), and the crackdown on illegal cigarettes.
"Ensuring that a minimum of 40 percent of DBH CHT and 25 percent of PRD is allocated to support tobacco control programs," said Aryana.
Meanwhile, Sarno, as a representative of the Directorate General of Economic and Fiscal Strategy at the Ministry of Finance, mentioned that the allocation of DBH CHT amounting to Rp 6.39 trillion in 2025 is allocated to 27 provinces and 436 cities.
"Based on Minister of Finance Regulation (PMK) Number 72 of 2024 concerning the Utilization of Tobacco Tax Revenue Sharing (DBH CHT), 50 percent of the allocation is used for the welfare of the community, 10 percent for law enforcement, and 40 percent for the health sector," said Sarno.
The 2023 Indonesian Health Survey (SKI) shows that the prevalence of active smokers in Indonesia reaches 63.1 million people, with 7.4 percent of them being in the 10-18 age group, or the children and adolescents.
"The Indonesian Health Survey shows 7.4 percent (child smokers), but in absolute terms, the number of child smokers has increased by 5.9 million people," said the Head of the Working Team for Controlling Tobacco-Related Diseases and Lung Diseases at the Directorate of Non-Communicable Diseases at the Ministry of Health, Benget Saragih.
Furthermore, there is a recorded trend of younger beginner smokers.
In the 2023 data, it is noted that 2.6 percent of child smokers are aged 4-9 years, 44.7 percent are aged 10-14 years, and 52.8 percent are aged 15-19 years.
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