There is a new chapter in cigarette sales in Indonesia. President Joko Widodo signed Government Regulation Number 28 of 2024 relating to implementing Law Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health.
One of the prominent points in the health regulation is the prohibition of retail cigarette sales. This is stated in article 434, paragraph 1 point c, which reads as follows.
(1) Every person is prohibited from selling tobacco products and electronic cigarettes:
a. using a self-service machine;
b. to any person under the age of 21 (twenty-one) years and pregnant women;
c. in retail units per stick, except for tobacco products in the form of cigars and electronic cigarettes;
Not only that, sellers are prohibited from placing cigarettes and other tobacco products in places where residents often go.
Traders are also prohibited from selling cigarettes within a 200-meter radius of educational units and children’s playgrounds.
What about online sales? Residents are also prohibited from using websites, commercial electronic applications, and social media to sell one unit of cigarettes.
This new health regulation highlights the circulation of tobacco and electronic cigarettes and also regulates measures to improve public access to quality health services, especially for the underprivileged citizen.
One of the main focuses is strengthening the health care system in Indonesia, including improving health facilities and health personnel in remote areas.
Allow conditional abortion
In addition to focusing on retail cigarette sales, the government also allows the practice of conditional abortion.
The regulation is contained in Article 120, which states that doctors are tasked with performing abortion services due to pregnancies that have indications of medical emergencies and pregnancies resulting from criminal acts of rape or other criminal acts of sexual violence.
“Abortion services can only be carried out with the consent of the pregnant woman concerned and with the consent of her husband, except for victims of criminal acts of rape,” as stated in article 122 paragraph 1 of PP No. 28 of 2024, and as reported by Tempo.
Regulation on foreign health workers
This new health regulation also highlights the discourse on providing health workers from abroad or foreign nationals.
Then, there are rules regarding the utilization of medical personnel and health workers of foreign nationals who have graduated from within the country or abroad.
However, this utilization must consider plans for the need for medical and health workers nationally and prioritize the use of medical and health workers for Indonesian citizens.
“Medical Workers and foreign health workers with Domestic Graduates, as referred to in Article 658 paragraph (1) letter a, who practice in Indonesia must have an SIP and STR in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations,” explained Article 659, as reported by CNN Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Article 661 paragraph (1) regulates that medical personnel and foreign health workers who are foreign graduates who can practice in Indonesia, only apply to specialist and subspecialist medical personnel and certain competency level health workers, after participating in a competency evaluation.
