Jakarta to issue regulation on e-cigarettes

Indonesian health authorities are planning to regulate the use of e-cigarettes, following calls from activists and health experts to recognize their negative impact on people’s health, reports The Jakarta Globe.

“We had a discussion with the Health Ministry and in the near future a regulation will be issued,” Roy A. Sparringa, head of the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), said on Friday. “Some neighboring countries have already banned the e-cigarettes.”

Sparringa explained that the BPOM found that the health risks of e-cigarette use outweighed any advantages the product may have over traditional cigarettes, which significantly increase a user’s risk of developing certain forms of cancer, as well as other health issues.

“The BPOM will always look at things from the perspective of safety, quality and [health] benefits,” he said. “The World Health Organization has clearly stated that the e-cigarette is not safe, but risky.”

Sparringa did not disclose any details about the planned regulation.

Indonesia has started regulating tobacco use, including the obligation for cigarette companies to put pictorial health warnings on packages. The government, however, so far has not issued any regulation regarding e-cigarette use.