Tobacco Farmers Oppose Nicotine Limit Draft, Seek President's Protection

Indonesian tobacco farmer associations have strongly expressed their opposition to a government draft regulation that aims to set a maximum limit on nicotine content, intended to improve public health. They are appealing to President Joko Widodo to protect farmers from this proposed regulation. The draft regulation has been proposed as a measure to reduce health damage caused by smoking. However, tobacco farmers argue that limiting nicotine content will decrease tobacco demand, ultimately threatening their livelihoods. Indonesia is one of the world's leading tobacco-producing and consuming countries, and the tobacco industry supports the lives of many farmers and people involved in related industries. Therefore, the introduction of this regulation is expected to have significant economic impacts, necessitating careful discussion among stakeholders. The farmer associations are urging the government to strike a balance between the goal of promoting public health and the livelihoods of those who depend on the tobacco industry.