JAKARTA, Indonesia, Aug. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) today warned that Indonesia's proposed PP No. 28 Tahun 2024 risks undermining public health and entrenching cigarette dominance by restricting access to proven harm reduction alternatives.

Indonesia is one of the world's largest cigarette markets, where millions of people who smoke could benefit from reduced-risk alternatives, so the regulations must be fit for purpose and embrace harm reduction.

The regulation contains contradictions so fundamental they could be challenged through judicial review. By introducing provisions that mirror obligations of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) without ratification, the government risks weakening legal integrity and eroding public trust.

“This is a critical moment,” said Dimasz Jeremia of Asosiasi Vaper Indonesia (AVI). “If momentum is lost now, it may soon be too late to mount meaningful legal and public resistance. The time to shape the narrative—both in the courts and in society—is now.”

CAPHRA's Executive Coordinator, Nancy Loucas, echoed this concern: “PP 28/2024 claims to tackle tobacco harm whilst simultaneously making it harder for smokers to access safer alternatives. This backwards approach will entrench cigarette use, not reduce it.”

The regulation's imprecise drafting across legal, cultural, and social areas has already raised alarm. Without harmonization of language with established law and clear implementation guidelines, the risk of misinterpretation, non-compliance, and public backlash is high. Substantively, the regulation imposes severe restrictions on nicotine levels, bans flavor additives unless proven safe, and caps cartridge and refill sizes. While framed as health measures, these provisions undermine innovation and limit the availability of reduced-risk products that could help millions move away from smoking.

Tight restrictions on sales and advertising compound the issue. The minimum purchase age has been raised to 21, retail near recreational areas is prohibited, and both digital and traditional advertising face sweeping bans. Though designed to protect youth, these measures also obstruct adults who smoke from accessing credible, regulated alternatives.

PP 28/2024 does expand cessation programs with counseling, medication, and telehealth. Yet its singular focus on quitting neglects harm reduction. For adults unwilling or unable to quit, reduced-risk products remain a practical, evidence-based path to better health.

CAPHRA urges policymakers to recalibrate PP 28/2024 with risk-proportionate regulation—distinguishing between combustible and non-combustible products, applying higher taxes on combustibles, ensuring controlled adult access with strong youth protections, and preventing illicit trade through sensible licensing.

“Indonesia stands at a crossroads,” concluded Loucas. “It can choose a path of restriction that fuels unintended harm or embrace evidence-based harm reduction that saves lives and aligns with genuine public health goals.”

Contact:
Nancy E Loucas
Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates
neloucas@caphraorg.net