Bandung, Indonesia: Championing city-level tobacco control
In May 2021, the city of Bandung passed a law designating eight types of smoke-free areas, including places of worship and children's playgrounds.
Overview
Published: September 2021
In 2016, the city of Bandung in West Java, Indonesia, was facing a serious health threat: smoking rates in the province were some of the highest in the country. A survey that year found that 37% of Bandung residents between the ages of 16 and 49 smoked tobacco, with 41% of those individuals having smoked for more than 10 years. Furthermore, 90% of Bandung smokers were identified as belonging to a “smoking habit group” where smoking was primarily a social activity, an indication that smoking had a disturbingly high level of social acceptability.
Although Indonesia has a national tobacco control law, in order for it to be effective, there is significant pressure for local leaders to tailor and enforce tobacco control policy and initiatives within their cities. This created an opportunity for action – and Bandung rose to the challenge.
Read the full case study: Championing city-level tobacco control
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